The Path of Shadows
by ThePriestSpy
Summary: Master the darkness. Conquer the darkin. Surpass Zed. Lead Ionia to greatness. His ambition was limitless, and yet, the Path of Shadows was a hard road to walk. Witness a man take the steps on the road of his destiny.
1. Introducing: The Weapon and his Tool

I promised one of my readers I'd post another story before the end of the year (looking at you Duncan), so here we go. Also this is a multi-parter, since I can't always just write one-shots for a living.

* * *

Zed always made it look so effortless.

„ _Kill the body, create the body, free the body."_

Kayn sat cross-legged on the floor, eyes shut tightly, face scrunched up and sweaty, as a figure of black smoke wavered in front of him. Its shape was vaguely humanoid, and it flickered at its edges like a candle in the wind. The acolyte repeated his mantra, almost desperate to keep the shadow in existence.

" _Kill the mind, create the mind, free the mind."_

Drawing into the power of his scythe, Kayn managed to steady his creation for a few moments. As it slowly shifted into focus, he began step two, making it reach out towards the weapon. Wisps of shadow coiled around the handle of the scythe, and began slowly began pulling. When it refused to budge however, Kayn began straining himself once more. _"C'mon, c'mon!"_ Before long, the shadow began to waver, before finally collapsing in on itself and dispersing in the room's dark corners. Kayn fell over on his back, letting out a long groan of frustration. Annoyance welled up within him. How come he managed to master most weapons with relative ease, but when it came to this particular shadow technique, he was perpetually stuck?

Having focused on physical techniques such as the Shadow Step and the Umbral Trespass before, and achieving a decent degree of mastery, Kayn was upset that Master Zeds signature technique, the Living Shadow, still continued to elude him. Where Zed was capable of summoning dozens of shadowy clones, jump between them at will, and coordinate them to take down his targets, Kayn managed to sustain a single shade at best. When questioned, his master would console him, saying something along the lines of "You simply take to a different style of fighting", but Kayn's goal was to one day be able to surpass Zed, and so he was determined to master all the aspects of the Shadow Arts, just like his master.

The ninja wiped the sweat off his brow, content to rest from his training for a moment. Settling down cross-legged, he closed his eyes, attempting to relax. Before he could enter meditation however, he was violently disturbed by a deep, gravelly laugh coming from his weapon. Oh yes, Rhaast was still a thing too. Rhaast, the Darkin, destroyer of mortals, ever bloodthirsty and evil, trapped inside an ancient farming tool.

" **Failing at the most basic tasks again, are we?"** the scythe taunted him. Kayn could feel himself become bothered once more. Rhaast's insistence on verbally ruining his days was getting to him. _"Control yourself, Kayn. Breathe. Don't let him get to you."_ He turned to face the scythe. "At least I'm not constantly failing at possessing a stupid mortal." the assassin retorted, a smug smile crossing his face. The eye on the scythe went through at least three shades of red, before the Darkin replied. **"You will break one day, I promise. No-one can resist the might of the Darkin forever."**

"Heh, I think I've been doing just fine." Kayn mocked the demon, who was glaring at him with his flaming red eye. The ninja raised his disfigured left arm for the weapon to see: red flesh and gray carapace going up to his shoulder, but stopping short of his torso. "You're not doing too good of a job at corrupting me, are you?" **"I'm simply taking my time. I've waited millennia for this, I can wait a few more days for you to give in."** the scythe threatened. "Whatever floats your boat." Kayn responded, unimpressed, and Rhaast seethed silently after that, allowing the assassin to return to his training.

Crossing his legs once more, the ninja closed his eyes and began to meditate once more. The situation was absurd really. Here he was, bantering with an ancient force trying to corrupt his body. But Kayn had sworn to come out on top. Not just because he would certainly die if he lost and that Rhaast would then lay waste to all of Runeterra, but also because he made a promise to Zed.

He remembered the day he'd retrieved the ancient weapon from Noxus. It was only once his eyes had fallen on the Darkin scythe, when he'd felt the dark powers within radiate bright as day, that he realized the true significance of his task. Zed had only tasked him with keeping the artifact out of Noxian hands... never specifying how. True to his masters teaching _secrets kept are weapons wasted_ , he'd taken up the weapon, forced to kill his brother-in-arms Nakuri in the process. Kayn had been sure that once he'd return, Zed would annoint him his successor, but he was wrong. He'd chosen the path of keeping the weapon, and so he'd never be a Shadow Assassin until the Darkin bent to his will. That day, Kayn had sworn on he wouldn't rest until his mission was complete.

Speaking of the Darkin, something else dawned on Kayn then. It had been more of a mindless boast that Rhaast had grown lax in his attempts to overtake him, but in hindsight, it was true. When he first picked up the weapon months ago, it had instantly begun to possess him, and it had taken his full strength to keep it subdued. Over time however, as he got a feel for the scythes power, the Darkin's attacks had grown more and more sporadic. Could Rhaast actually be... growing weaker?

That wasn't to say the scythe was no threat. Kayn was well aware that it was still a Darkin he was facing, and Rhaast's power was still overwhelming, an ancient darkness creeping into Kayn's body, and mind, struggling to be free of its bonds. But the ninja had heard stories of another Darkin who had rampaged in the faraway land of Freljord. He had asked Rhaast about this particular being named Aatrox, but the most he had gotten out of the scythe was that "they had history". Aatrox had apparently been free for far longer than Rhaast, and what little was known about him revealed the true power of a Darkin. He possessed the greatest and strongest warriors with ease, and no-one was able to resist his corruption. Rhaast wasn't like that. The scythe seemed dulled by the eons of imprisonment it had suffered. Kayn was curious.

"Rhaast?"

" **What, what is it Kayn?"**

"How many have come before me?"

The scythe spluttered in surprise, clearly not expecting such a question, but it recovered quickly. **"Hundreds of mortals like you, foolish enough to wield me."**

"And how many of those were worthy hosts for your 'magnificence'?"

Rhaast grumbled. **"None, to be honest. You're the first host I could possibly deem worthy."**

"I'm quite honored to be your first then! Hopefully you're enjoying this as much as I am."

Rhaast's eye widened. **"Please don't say it like that. I hate it when you say it like that."**

Kayn laughed. So, it was true. This Darkin had been searching for a host for a long time, and he was most likely becoming desperate to be free. The thought of that filled Kayn with confidence. He could do this with, he would be the first to conquer a Darkin, he would stand at the pinnacle of all ninjas, and Zed would have no choice but to be proud!

With this newfound vigor, Kayn stood up, channeling his new enthusiasm. Another shadow was willed into existence, growing in the middle of the room. Tendrils of darkness meshed together, slowly forming a human shape. At first without distinguishable features, it soon grew a long braid of hair, its face and body morphing to match it's creator, until finally, for a few precious moments, a perfect copy of Kayn stared back at him, eyes aglow with the red energy that came with the power of his shadow magic.

"How's that, Rhaast?", the assassin mocked his weapon arrogantly.

Before the Darkin could deign him with a response, there was a knock upon the room's door. Startled, Kayn let go of the shadow, which dispersed into the room once more. He retrieved his weapon, before turning to the entrance of his dormitory.

"Enter." He called out, and the door slid open, revealing another acolyte. He was about his age, but seemed terrified at having to deliver a message to his fellow student. Who wouldn't be, considering said student currently brandished an ancient weapon oozing with bloodlust and darkness?

"Master Zed would like to speak with you. Please meet him in the grand dojo." the acolyte said, barely hiding the tremble in his voice.

Kayn nodded. "I understand. Tell him I'll be there as soon as I can. You're dismissed."

The shadow warrior looked on as his fellow acolyte rushed off, his interest piqued. It had been a while since Zed had last sent him on a mission, and he was becoming impatient, wanting to further his skills with the shadows. Kayn shouldered his scythe, and made for the dojo.

"Lets see what Master has in store for us today."


	2. Pride and Downfall

I've made some edits to the first chapter to fit where this next chapter is headed. Enjoy!

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The grand dojo of the Kinkou Monastery had always been an impressive sight, in the glory days of the Kinkou just as much as under the banner of the Shadow Order . Standing at the very center of the complex, this multi-story pagoda housed many important sites of the ninja monastery, including the grand hall, which doubled as both assembly room and official arena, and the quarters of the order's master. Those were now inhabited by Zed, after he had disposed of the Master Kusho, and the banners of the Shadow Order now hung in place of the Kinkou's crests.

In front of this monument now stood Kayn, the Darkin scythe at his side, frowning. Usually, Zed would summon him to somewhere more private when assigning him missions, considering he was somewhat of a special case amongst his fellow acolytes. This time however, Zed seemed to have planned something different, and while being invited to the grand hall overjoyed Kayn, he was wary of what was in store for him.

Taking a deep breath, the ninja banished any doubt from his mind. His master would never lead him astray, would he?

Pushing open the ornate doors, Kayn was thoroughly surprised. Zed was nowhere to be found. In fact, the entire room was vacated, an almost tense silence hanging over the open space, only disrupted by the sound of Kayn's boots echoing on the ploished wooden floor.

The hall itself was vast, two stories high, with large wooden beams supporting the ceiling and a balcony surrounding the center pit. At the back of the wall hung the giant crest of the Shadow Order, cast in metal, adorned by the same red banners that also decorated the wooden beams supporting the ceiling and the railings of the balcony. Where the room was normally lit with lanterns, now only a few rays of light shone in through high windows, leaving the hall shrouded in darkness.

Kayn was disturbed now. Zed was never late to a meeting, that was for sure. The room was empty and untouched though, and his Master was nowhere to be seen.

" _Where could he be?"_

With a start, the ninja turned around as the doors slammed shut behind him. An ambush? But who would want to fight him here? Kayn' eyes scanned the hall, which was still covered in shadows, looking for an answer. Then it hit him.

" _Wait. Shadows."_

Performing a roll forward, the ninja barely managed to dodge as Zed's shadowy figure slammed down where he had been standing, blade embedded in the ground. If he hadn't moved, that blade would've been stuck in his spine. Turning around, Kayn gripped Rhaast with both hands and entered a fighting stance, watching as Zed ripped his blade from the ground.

Then, in an instant, the older ninja dashed forward and delivered a devastating series of attacks on his student. Zed spun seamlessly from one attack into the next, and Kayn was forced on the defensive, deflecting the blows with his scythe, as each hit came harder than the one before. Before long, the two ninjas were locked in a deadly dance, and Kayn found himself desperately pressed for the space needed to use the scythe properly. But every time he took a step back to begin a counteroffensive, his master would dash forward instantly, continuing his assault.

After blocking what must have been the twentieth blow, Kayn finally saw his chance. The next strike came a little too high, and while directing the incoming blade upwards, he kicked with his right leg. As Zed staggered back, he swung his scythe, straight towards Zed's stomach… only for him to simply dissolve into shadow with his signature *swoosh*, and reform to Kayn's right side. The ninja was left fully overextended, his side wide open to the incoming attack. Panic flooded him.

" _How could I let this happen?!"_

At the last moment, the acolyte managed to summon the shadows, and slipped into the floor, barely dodging the attack coming for his throat, before he was rather unpleasantly ejected behind Zed. Seeing his master prepare for another wave of attacks, Kayn prepared one last ditch effort to win the fight. Channeling the shadows into his weapon, he swung the scythe in a heavy uppercut, phasing the blade through the ground and cleaving Zed in two full force.

When the adrenaline and shocked died down, Kayn realized what he'd just done. He watched on as the cut, perfectly down the middle of his masters body, began to ooze shadowy tendrils. Zed, or rather, the living shadow of him slowly melted into formless darkness, before leaving existence with a swoosh. Kayn realized he'd been fighting a shadow this entire time.

"I am disappointed, Kayn. Your performance just now was extremely lacking." Spoke a voice from behind him. Whipping his head around, he saw his master sit on the cushions below the crest, legs folded, looking unfazed and undamaged. Disappointment was audible in his voice. "Explain yourself."

Kayn gulped, before placing his weapon on the ground. Rhaast let out an angry shout of indignation at being treated like that, before being silenced.

"I didn't expect you t-"

Zed cut him off. "You did not expect me to attack you? A true shadow assassin of the Shadow Order is never caught off guard. You of all my students should know this."

His student fell to his knees as his master rose from the pillows to stand above him.

"You have become arrogant, Kayn. You act like nothing can hurt you, simply because you are in possession of that weapon, and yet, here we are." Frustration was seeping into Zed's voice as he approached his student. Kayn hung his head in shame, awaiting punishment, only to find his masters hand on his shoulder. He looking up at his master in surprise, who had removed his mask, now kneeling on eye-level to him.

"Do not misunderstand me, Kayn, I do not say this to hurt you. You do want to become the leader of our Order one day, do you not?"

Kayn's eyes widened at that. He'd spoken to Zed about his intentions on occasion, but his master had never deemed it important to make any definite comments on them. He was caught off guard once more. "Y-yes, of course, master. I've been working for this all my life."

"Then you must understand, you can only be a worthy successor if you conquer the Darkin, like you promised me. But in your current state, I am afraid I do not see you capable of conquering the Darkin."

"What do you mean, master?" Kayn asked incredulously. Zed sighed.

"I see the way you hold yourself. You are so utterly confidant in your skills, and I am afraid your hubris will be your downfall. I implore you to learn true self-control, Kayn. Only a disciplined mind can overcome a corruption such as that of a Darkin."

Kayn felt like he had been punched in the gut, and at the same time, he felt anger well up inside himself again. Zed was mocking him! He was perfectly in control, there was no way he could lose to the scythe! A small voice inside himself however spoke up, quietly, one he'd been silencing for a long time now. _"Zed is right, you know. For all your great words, you've got little to show. You're making yourself vulnerable."_

"I'm sorry, master." The acolyte let out in a choked voice, the elation of this mornings revelation all but forgotten.

Zed rose once more. "You are forgiven, for now. But I see I need to further test how true your conviction is, whether I can allow you to continue on this path you have chosen."

Kayn raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, continue on this path?"

His master stared him dead in the eyes. "We both know what will happen if you do not conquer the Darkin. You know very well that I cannot allow that to happen. If you falter…" The blades on Zed's arms glinted in the dim light.

His student nodded, understanding the greater picture. "What is my task? An assassination?"

His master shook his head. "No. A recruitment. Our spies have sighted the current Fist of Shadows, Akali, who had left the Kinkou Order some time ago."

Kayn was surprised. "The Fist of Shadows has deserted her fellows?"

"Indeed, and I want you to go and recruit her for our Order."

Indignation welled up inside Kayn. He was a master assassin, and now he was to catch Shen's stray dogs? But he suppressed his remark. _"This is what Zed was talking about. Control yourself!"_ He stood up, facing his master once more.

"Where do I go, and when do I leave?"

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This is my attempt at both character arcs, and fighting scenes. Do leave a comment or criticism, anythings appreciated.


	3. A Different Kind of Test!

Phew. I really hit a flow with this one. Please enjoy this awefully long, unorganized and badly written chapter.

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Akali was on holiday.

At least, that was what she liked to call her extended stay in the town of Wun-Chien. Under Shen's tutelage, there had never been any real leisure time. After all, Kinkou Warriors were supposed to train and be vigilant, aloof warriors, so there was no time to spend frolicking around the countryside, especially with how small the order was right now.

That was in the past, and now, Akali was free to spend her time any way she saw fit. Of course, even now she didn't like slacking off too much, since Pruning The Tree could not be neglected, but fighting and killing almost daily tired even the hardest of ninjas. So, when she had finished her previous mark, and estimated she had three or four days until the next one came within reach, the former Fist of Shadows decided she had deserved those few days off.

Of course, the fact that Wun-Chien was her destination helped with that decision. The city was situated at a mountain side, and was known far and wide for the hot springs it was aptly named after. Commoners and their families used their holidays to travel here to relax from their hard work in large baths, while Nobles and councilmen held meetings and whatever other shady business they were up to in small, ornately decorated bathhouses. The whole thing was completed with a fill of taverns and inns, as well as a large market that sold anything the region the region had to offer, and more. Even Vastaya merchants showed up on occasion.

Akali had spent her first day there bathing in one of the smaller, more remote bathhouses. She'd been given funny glances by the owners at first, but after she presented them with a small satchel filled to the brim with gold coins, they let her have all the quiet she wanted. One of the upsides to her work, those she assassinated were usually on the richer side of the spectrum, and who was to stop her from taking a little here and there?

Luxury like this was almost surreal to the young ninja. Her entire life so far had been devoted to training for her future role as the Fist of Shadows, and while her parents always loved and cherished her, their duty to the Kinkou had seemed to be just a tad more important than their daughter. Therefore, she simply never had the chance to indulge herself like she did now.

With the first day of her "holiday" coming to an end, Akali now sat in the dining hall of the inn she was staying, contemplating how to spend the next few days. The tavern around her was rather full, people talking, laughing and having a merry time. To avoid too much attention, the ninja had taken residence in one of the less expensive inns, and while she could have stayed at some fancy, high class place, she was content to mingle with the simple folk. Nursing her ale, she scanned the room. _"These are the people I fight for. I secure their safety. I secure their indepence."_

The door to the inn creaked open, and the ninja took notice of the person who had entered. While the other patrons were mostly commoners in simple clothes, this particular stranger stood out like a sore thumb. He wore pants like hers, and no shirt under his black, hooded cloak, exposing his upper body. If he was trying to blend in, his fashion was making him fail hard. Was he an assassin? Perhaps he was sent to kill her.

Akali watched him, looking for any weapons he might carry, but found none. She still kept her kama and the satchel with her kunai and shuriken beside her, ready for her to strike if necessary. She hoped it wouldn't come to that today.

Seeing the man approach the counter and order food, the ninja leaned back and closed her eyes, trying to relax. This caused her to miss seeing the stranger approach her table, until he rather noisily placed a bowl of ramen soup in front of her. As he sat down opposite to her, Akali got a look at his face. Out of the shadow of the hood, a bright blue eye set in a young man's face peeked at her, framed by a blue streak of hair.

Then she let her eyes drift down to his torso. The man was toned. _"Damn, He is handsome."_ Akali had to admit to herself

"So, what brings a pretty girl like you here?", the stranger broke the silence. She snorted and shot him a bored look. _"Really?"_

"Is this your attempt at trying to flirt with me? Because I'm not interested."

The stranger raised his right hand in surrender. Did he only have one arm? What was that weird lump on his shoulder?

"Oh, no, I have no such intent. I simply wanted to talk." He gestured to the soup standing in front of Akali. "That's for you, by the way."

He had bought her ramen? She clicked her chopsticks pointedly, and they ate in silence for a few moments. This whole conversation was decidedly strange, but she saw no harm, so she indulged him.

"So, what do you want to talk about so badly?" Akali spoke up as she pushed her half-finished bowl aside.

"You're Akali, aren't you? The Fist of Shadows.", the man inquired.

The ninja in question narrowed her eyes, and with a low voice, she replied "Who wants to know?"

The stranger laughed.

"I do. My name is Kayn, and I'm a ninja just like you."

* * *

Locating an assassin on the run would've been hard for most people, but to Kayn, it was child's play. Just listen in on the gossip in the cities, and soon enough, talk of officials and nobles who may or may not have collaborated with Noxus winding up dead would reach you. His target left him a nice trail of breadcrumbs to follow, and if he ever lost her tracks, some well-placed bribes could loosen tongues. (That, or his scythe at their throats. Rhaast found that amusing.)

The last place Kayn would've expected to find the Fist of Shadows was Wu-Chien though. From what he'd gathered from his latest… informant, Akali had rented a room at an inn for multiple days, for whatever reason. Now all he had to do was find her in a fashion that didn't ring every alarm possible, and smooth-talk her into joining his Order.

That however was by far the hardest part. Normally, when Kayn was order to track somebody, it would usually end in a lethal fashion. While he was by no means timid, he spent most of his time spouting one-liners before murdering somebody. He was an assassin for crying out loud, not a diplomat. But if Zed deemed it necessary, then he would have to suck it up, and play nice for once.

When Kayn entered the inn however, his demeanor shifted rapidly. When Zed had told him to recruit the former Fist of Shadows, he had expected her to be… well, he hadn't expected her to be a rebellious-looking teenager that was just as scantily clad as himself. She looked to be slightly younger than him, and he had to admit, she was pretty.

With no idea on how to approach her now, the shadow warrior decided to just wing it. Buying food for the two of them, he sat himself down at her table, making his presence known. The girl's eyes snapped open, and she eyed him warily. Immediately, Kayn became self-conscious about his appearance. While he could store his scythe away within the shadows, the Darkin flesh was there for everyone to see, and so he'd put on a cloak to make himself seem less inhuman.

"So, what brings a pretty girl like you here?" He tried to alleviate the awkwardness, and immediately cringed at his words. _"What am I even doing?"_

"Is this your attempt at trying to flirt with me? Because I'm not interested." She replied. Rhaast let out a hearty laugh in his mind.

" **Ha, are you trying to cheat on me? I thought we had something special."**

Kayn grumbled to himself. Oh, he screwed that up alright. Better salvage what was left of the conversation

"Oh, no, I have no such intent. I simply wanted to talk." He avoided further embarrassment by gesturing to the soup standing in front of Akali. "That's for you, by the way."

While they were eating, Kayn secretly mustered the other ninja. Thinking about battle tactics gave him respite from his awkward attempts at conversation. She had her kama within reach, but she couldn't strike him with it, not without telegraphing it. He was sure that she probably had some hidden knives on her person and in the pouch lying off to the side. Did she have any magic he didn't know about? She was a Kinkou after all. Rhaast decided to pipe up then.

" **I feel no strong magic from her. Her weapon might be infused with some kind of energy, but it's no match for me."**

That was decidedly weird. A Kinkou warrior without magic? But Kayn was interrupted from his musing by the girl in front of him.

"So, what do you want to talk about so badly?" Akali spoke up as she pushed her half-finished bowl aside.

Well. No point in beating around the bush. "You're Akali, aren't you? The Fist of Shadows.", Kayn asked.

"Who wants to know?" she replied, now clearly agitated.

"I do. My name is Kayn, and I'm a ninja just like you."

Akali tensed up. Kayn knew that she was wary of him now. He would've reacted the same way if some random guy in a hood would ask him that question, but now he had to defuse the situation.

"Now, please, just let me speak before you pepper me with kunai. I mean you no harm." He joked, letting out a chuckle.

She relaxed slightly, but the scowl remained on her face. "So, we are both ninjas. What of it?"

Kayn had to handle this carefully. He couldn't just outright try and press her into joining, that would earn him a shuriken to the face. "I was told you left your clan over… ideological differences. Tell me, why would you leave the Kinkou? You were the Fist of Shadows after all." Then, as an afterthought, he added, "I wish I had your position at this age."

Akali let out a mirthless chuckle. "I don't know how you found out about me leaving, but it doesn't matter now. Master Shen and the others were simply too caught up in their aged ideals, unable to protect our country. It's our job as ninjas to protect Ionia, and being unable or unwilling to defend it is a weakness in my books." Leaning forward, chin resting on one hand, she added "You still haven't told my why you want to know any of that though."

There. That was his hook. He could use that.

"Oh, my clan thinks the same way. That is why I'm here actually. We had heard of you leaving the Kinkou, and wanted to offer you a place in our ranks. We need strong people like you who want to free the land of the Noxian plague."

Akali looked mildly interested now. Had he really convinced her this easily? Then she laughed.

"Sorry Kayn. I do like you, but the times where I let someone else tell me what to do are over."

"Oh, please reconsider. You have so much potential, don't waste it!"

Another laugh came from the shadows. **"Come on Kayn, begging? How low can you sink?"** The scythes barbs were ignored however, as the ninja in question became desperate.

Akali sighed. "Look, Kayn. If this whole master-student thing works for you, I'm happy, but my master only stopped me from realizing my full potential."

" **Ha, see? Even she knows that submitting to a "master" only holds you back. If only you were as smart as her."** _"Shut it, Rhaast!"_

Concealing his inner turmoil, he played his final card. "I promise you, we do not hold you back like the Kinkou did. In fact, I promise my master can give you what Shen could not."

The girl chuckled. "And who, pray tell, is that fabled master of yours?"

This was the crucial moment "Zed. My master is Zed."

The moment he had finished speaking, Kayn felt Akali's aura change. Where she had been somewhat bored and curious before, she was now radiating pure, unadulterated hate. _"That went wrong real fast."_

"So, you're from the Order of Shadows then **.** I should've guessed from the beginning. Did your master never tell you how he took over the Kinkou order then?"

Kayn gulped audibly. "He expelled those that opposed him, and killed those that dared face him."

Akali's eyes narrowed even further. "My father stayed behind to defend the fleeing Kinkou. Zed slew him in cold blood, and I think I'll pay him back by killing you!"

Before he could say another word, Akali kicked the table at Kayn. The assassin phased into his Shadow Step, and the wooden implement simply flew through him and crashed into the ground, spilling their soups all over the floor. _"Aw, I bought that with my own money."_

His opponent performed a roll, snatching up her satchel and kama, before throwing a shuriken at his face. Tearing off his cloak with his right hand, Kayn caught the projectile with a flourish of the cloth. Seeing Akali wind up for another attack, her satchel now fixed to her back, the ninja summoned Rhaast into his hand. The scythes eye flicked around before fixating on the younger ninja.

" **So, I take it your negotiations failed. Can we kill her now?"**

" _No. We will not harm her. Zed's orders."_

When the fight had begun, the other patrons of the tavern remained frozen in place, shocked by the sudden violence. As Kayn revealed his corrupted body and the Darkin weapon however, all hell broke loose.

"It's a demon!" one voice shouted.

"We're all doomed!" a woman screeched.

"Run for your lives!"

Everyone rushed towards the entrance, scrambling over one another to get away from the shadow warrior, until Kayn and Akali were finally alone.

"What kind of _monster_ are you?" Akali spat, circling him. With a shout, the female ninja unleashed a volley of kunai upon him, which he deflected with a twirl of his scythe. Dashing forward, Kayn brought the scythes blade to rest at Akali's throat.

"If I was a monster, would I not cut you down right now? My promise still remains, I will do you no harm."

"Well, I make no such promises to you." Akali mocked.

In the blink of an eye, she pushed the scythe away from her neck, and followed up with a swift kick between Kayn's legs. Stars clouded his vision, and the air was knocked out of his lungs. The short distraction was all Akali needed to detonate a smoke grenade, covering the tavern in black smoke and shrouding herself. Slowly regaining his senses, Kayn scanned the room, but he could neither see nor hear his opponent anymore.

A chuckle came from the scythe. **"She's so afraid that she's using cheap tricks to defeat you now!"**

Kayn was severely irritated now. Thoughts of cutting her into ribbons flew through his head, but he pushed them down. _"Don't lose your temper. Control yourself."_

"Akali, stop. We need not be adversaries." Kayn called into the room. A shuriken flew at him as a response.

"I would never join a clan who harbors evil like your master!"

" **She's obviously not interested. Kill her now and be done with it."** Rhaast was audibly annoyed now, but the shadow warrior would not be deterred.

 _"I said, we will not harm her!"_

A kama came at him from the smoke, almost soundlessly. Kayn took a step back, before phasing into the smoke using his shadow magic. Traveling throughout the room, he attempted to locate his opponent, who seemed to have vanished entirely.

 _"Where could she be hiding?"_ He strained his ears for any sound of movement. As the hiss of the smoke died out, Kayn could make out the faint sound of feet on wood. _"There!"_

Leaving the shadows, the ninja reached out into the inky black, attempting to grab and wrestle his opponent out of the shroud. A foot shot out as a response, kicking him cleanly in the chest and knocking him to the ground once more. As he scrambled to his feet, the shroud slowly lifted, revealing the two opponents.

Akali was crouched in front of him, kama and kunai ready to tear him to pieces. "Look." she growled at him. "You kept your word of not attacking me, so I'll let you leave alive just this one time. Now scram, before I reconsider."

Kayn's shoulders slumped at that, and he let out a sigh. Zed wouldn't be happy, but it seemed his opponent would not budge on her opinion, and so he had to return empty-handed. His weapon had other ideas however.

" **She dares defy you like that? Kill her already, for spiting your order AND your master like that!"**

Now the scythes bloodlust was really getting on his nerves.

"No, Rhaast, Zed said to leave her unharmed!"

Akali looked at him now, confusion written on her face. Was he actually talking to the scythe?

Around the two the room turned dark, as the eye on the scythe opened wide and lit up. The ninja winced as a deep, demonic voice growled, now audible for both of them.

" **I've had enough of this. If you will not kill her,** _ **then I will!"**_

A burning sensation spread though Kayn's corrupted flesh as the scythe trembled in his hands. Panic filled him as his hands started moving against his will.

"Rhaast, stop. _Rhaast!_ " he cried, but the assault on his mind and body grew stronger only. As the hellish presence grew stronger in his mind, dread filled Kayn as he thought back to the days prior. How wrong he'd been to think that the Darkin had grown weaker. _No, on the contrary, Rhaast had been biding his time, playing possum until he'd grown strong enough._

With the full weight of his mind and body, the assassin fought against the murderous demon as the weapon swayed left and right, dragging him along as it tried to slash open the female ninja in front of them.

" **Let. Me. GO! _I'l_ l _sp_ l _at_ t _er he_ r _all_ ov _er the w_ all _s_!" **the Darkin screamed, voice distorted with rage.

"Are you quite alright?" Akali approached him carefully, unsure of how to react appropriately to what was unfolding in front of her, startled when Kayn whipped his head towards her. His corrupted red eye glowed bright like a demonic fire, and the once handsome and composed face was contorted in inhuman pain.

A single word came from Kayn's throat as a dry, raspy shout. _"RUN!_ "

She didn't need a second invitation as she sprinted out of the tavern, leaving Kayn to continue his struggle as blinding pain and rage filled his being.

" ** _Stop holding me back you insolent nuisance!_ "**

Kayn felt like his head was about to burst open any second now, the pressure from the Darkins assault growing stronger by the second. Clenching his eyes shut, the shadow ninja pushed back with all his might, and after a few excruciating moments that seemed like an eternity of pain, Rhaast finally seemed to run out of energy. With a great cry of pain, Kayn forced himself to throw the scythe far away from himself. As the demon weapon clattered to the ground, a shudder ran through Kayn's body before he slumped into a chair that thankfully hadn't been broken.

All his energy had left him, and sweat ran down his entire body. The ninja struggled to catch his breath, air never seeming to quite fill his lungs. _"Control yourself!"_ he thought, attempting to get himself back under control. An assassin like him wasn't supposed to lose his composure like this! Utilizing a few basic breathing techniques his master had taught him, his heartbeat finally lowered to an acceptable speed, and laying a hand on his forhead to quell the dizziness, Kayn slowly came to realize what had just occured. Rhaast had never attacked him with a ferocity like that since the day he'd first picked up the weapon, and the ninja was loath to admit that he had been closer to losing himself than ever before.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Kayn registered that Zed would be upset when he returned, having failed a mission like this. Right now, however, he was too exhausted to take another step or form another coherent thought, and so, quite unceremoniously, he collapsed off his chair onto the ground, falling asleep in an instant.

He wouldn't find rest though. The nightmares that followed were far too intense.

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Comments and criticism welcome as usual. (senpai pls?)


	4. The Darkness beyond the Shadows

Heres another chapter to celebrate my first comment on this story. Shoutout to IceHound, thanks a lot!

* * *

 _Kayn opened his eyes, and was assaulted with literal hell on earth._

 _Surrounding him was the greatest battlefield he could have ever imagined. Giant fires ravaged the area, turning what could have once been lush green fields into a charred wasteland, and black smoke rose from the inferno, blotting out the sky with its suffocating clouds. Banners and flags of red cloth stuck out of the ground here and there, some splintered, some on fire, and below them, dozens, if not hundred of dead bodies, their blood staining the ground around them a dark shade of crimson._

" _What is this. Where am I?"_

 _Kayn had no idea where he was. What was going on? The last thing he recalled was fighting Rhaast for control. The scythes mental assault had caught him off guard, and it had taken all of his strength to push him back. Did Akali manage to escape? The Darkin had been adamant to slay her, for some reason. After that his memory went blank, and Kayn racked his brain hard trying to remember what had transpired._

 _Far more important however, he had to find out where the hell he was. Stepping forward, dry earth and dead grass crunching under his feet, the assassin inspected one of the many bodies that littered the field. The armor that encased the corpse was warped and blackened, but it was still obvious who this man had been._

" _A Noxian. Why are there Noxians here?"_

 _Kayn was not one to be easily shaken, but he couldn't rid himself of a feeling of unease. He hated to admit it, but Noxian soldiers were no simple goons. What could've been powerful enough to massacre hundreds of their ranks?_

 _The body at his feet had been rent in half, straight at the waste. At first it seemed like some gargantuan beast had trampled them all, but the clean cut through the body made this option impossible. No weapon Kayn could think of caused wounds like this._

 _Except for something like his scythe._

 _Suddenly, the trample of boots could be heard. Kayn looked on as another group of Noxians burst from the gloom, weapons raised. Unlike their fellows however, their armor was far heavier, highly ornate, and covered in red cloth. Charging him was the fabled Trifarian Legion._

 _These soldiers didn't move out in large groups, ever, Kayn remembered. Zed had told him about these most formidable foes, and of how they worked. There was only one reason why they would appear in their entirety._

 _Above him, the flames and smoke parted, and in the distance, the Immortal Bastion towered over him._

" _I'm in Noxus Prime? What is this?!"_

 _Then they were upon him, and Kayn threw himself at them with his scythe in hand. As they began falling to his demonic weapon however, the ninja fell into more and more of a frenzy. Every drop of blood he spilled seemed to rejuvenate and energize him in an unnatural way, and so he spun from one attack into the next, cleaving through the Noxian elite like a knife through paper. Everything went by in a blur, and the next thing Kayn knew, the last of the Trifarian Legion lied at his feet, gargling as he drowned on his own blood._

 _One final soldier stepped into view. Kayn's surprise at this turned to pure hatred when he realized who had stepped up to oppose him._

 _Darius had been in his prime when Kayn had last seen him, all those years ago when he'd been drafted into service for the Noxian military. Now his face was marred with age, and a white strike decorated his hair. The general seemed to be shouting at him, words of rage and disgust, but it all sounded… muted, as if Kayn was hearing through water. He didn't much care for his words anyway. The scythe rested in his hands, and with a cry, the ninja launched himself at his nemesis, ready to take his revenge on Noxus._

 _Cutting into the old man was far too easy, and in due time, Kayn wrenched the axe out of the general's hands with a powerful swing, causing the Noxian to tumble and fall to the ground with a loud crash of his armor._

 _Leaping up into the air, Kayn prepared to end his foe, only to be rather violently smashed to the side by an even larger axe. Rolling over the ground, the ninja steadied himself before turning to face the newcomer. The legendary undead juggernaut Sion stood over him, eyes and soul furnace glowing with red rage._

 _Kayn's flesh and bones ached from the mighty blow Sion had delivered, but he felt no pain, lost to the rage that had come upon him. Rending this undead flesh with his scythe, the assassin tore into the great symbol of Noxian might. But while Darius had been relatively easy to fell, this monstrosity simply wouldn't go down, and Kayn could feel himself become weary. When the juggernaut brought his axe up for another blow, the ninja dove into his flesh with an Umbral Trespass. Short flashes of the monsters broken memories passed by Kayn's mind, before he broke free from its chest._

 _Power flooded him as he could feel Sion's mockery of life come to an end, and he couldn't help but let out a crazed laugh. Before him, Darius was crawling on all fours, desperate to reach his axe. Stepping up to the fallen general, Kayn placed a foot on the handle, and the old man looked up at him, fear in his eyes._

" _Now you'll pay for what Noxus did to me!"_

 _Within seconds, the Hand of Noxus was nothing but unrecognizable chunks of flesh and armor as the ninja tore into him with his scythe, losing himself in the frenzy as he brutalized the leader of the very army that had sent him to death as a child all those years ago._

 _With his blood pounding in his head, Kayn failed to hear footsteps approaching him, until a female voice spoke up._

" _Kayn? What are yo-"_

 _The person was cut off, quite literally, as Kayn swung his scythe at them in a blind rage, lodging it into their chest. Wrenching his weapon free, it took Kayn a few fatal seconds before he realized who he had just struck._

 _Akali crumpled at his feet, blood spurting from the gash he had torn into her, gasping for precious air that wouldn't come. In an instant, the high Kayn had been on was gone as he felt like ice cold water had been poured over his head. What had he done?_

 _Dropping his weapon, he fell on his knees at her side, desperate. "Akali… no, I didn't mean for this. I promise!"_

 _She coughed, before turning her head towards him. Anger, fear and revulsion burned in her eyes._

" _I knew it… you're… you're a monster! I should've killed you when I could!"_

 _She let out a final cough, before her eyes fell shut and her body went limp._

 _Kayn was petrified with shock. This couldn't be. How could this happen? He scrambled to his feet, trying to get away from her corpse, only to trip over another one. At his feet lay Shen, dead, his throat slashed open and spirit blade broken. To his right lay the Heart of the Tempest, Kennen, a bloody mess of purple cloth. In a distance, Kayn could make out the broken forms of Irelia, the war-dancer of Navori, and beside her, Karma, the Enlightened One. More and more corpses became visible in the smoke, many whom he didn't know, but all of which seemed like they'd once been proud Ionians, now lying in rivers of their own blood. All of them shredded by the demonic scythe he held, all of them killed by his hands._

 _Then Kayn's gaze went to those very hands, and his blood ran cold. His corrupted arm had been a ghastly sight before, but it paled in comparison to the claws that now replaced his fingers. His eyes traveled all over his body, where thick red flesh and gray carapace armor replaced human flesh. His feet were now malformed hooves, and something weighed down on his head. Feeling with his hands, he felt the new growths: two giant jagged horns._

" _What have I done? How could this happen?!" he screamed out loud._

" _You were weak, just like I feared." A voice spoke up. Kayn turned his head to find Zed standing there, amidst the corpses._

" _Master…?" Zed was advancing towards him._

" _You failed your test. Now you've doomed us all."_

" _No, master! I didn't mean for this to happen! I don't know how it came to this!" Kayn pleaded. He was torn between running to his master and keeping his distance, but it was no longer his choice. His body began moving on its own, picking up the fallen scythe. Zed's mask betrayed no emotion, but the red glint of his eyes flickered in apparent fear._

" _Run master! RUN!" Kayn wanted to cry, but his voice failed him, and he was forced to watch as the scythe arced towards Zeds neck. With a sickening squelch, the master of shadows was beheaded._

 _Kayn dropped to his knees, no longer petrified in his own body. Before him lay dead all he had ever cared for, killed by his own hand. As the flames and darkness closed in on him, he let out one final heart-wrenching shriek._

" _No. No! NOOOOO- "_

* * *

"-OOOOO?" Kayn finished as his eyes tore open. Gone was the ghastly battlefield, the visions of the dead, replaced by the painted walls of a hotel room. Sweat covered him from head to toe, drenching the foreign white sheets he was resting on. Confusion coursed through him as he sat up. Where was he now?

Then it came back to him. Akali. Fighting Rhaast. The nightmare. The last thing Kayn remembered after that was passing out on the tavern floor. How had he gotten into this fancy place? This wasn't the tavern, and he certainly hadn't booked a room in some high-class inn. Then his eyes fell on the table adorning the wall in front of him.

A kunai stuck from the tabletop, and Kayn recognized immediately where it came from. After all, he'd dodged two or three of those during his little encounter with the female assassin. A note was wedged under its blade, hasty letters spelling out a message to him.

 _That thing of yours was too dangerous to just let it lie around, so I brought it here with you. Consider it a courtesy for being the most civil shadow ninja I've met.  
_

 _Akali._

So, she'd come back for him and dragged him all the way here? Kayn wasn't sure what to think of her help, considering the way they'd parted the day before, but he was grateful none the less. Stowing the kunai away in belt, he fixed his hair in front of the mirror. He looked like hell, and quite frankly, he felt like it too.

" _Damn you Rhaast, you'll pay for putting me through this."_

Then it dawned on the ninja: the scythe was nowhere to be seen. Panic flooded him once more. Akali said she brought it with him, but where was it? Had she attempted to pick it up, just like that? That would spell chaos for her. Kayn had witnessed Rhaast consume Noxian soldiers in seconds, and while he felt no pity for them, he did not wish such a fate on any Ionian, not even Shen or his disciples. But then, where could it be?

Before he could fully go panic mode, Kayn noticed the wrapped package sitting under his bed. Thick ropes were wound around the remains of his cloak, but the signature shape of Rhaast's scythe body was still visible under the cloth. At first, he hesitated to pick up the weapon, slightly scared of what would happen, when he noticed the small pieces of paper attached all over. _Ofuda._

Akali had attempted to seal away the Darkin? Peeking under the cloak, Kayn saw that the scythes eye was closed, the demon's presence severely diminished. Not sure how long such petty magic would hold back the ancient being, he was nonetheless grateful for the break he'd have from the constant battle with Rhaast.

Kayn decided then that he couldn't simply waltz out of the inn (people might have been generally oblivious, but he had made quite the scene yesterday, and there was bound to be someone who remembered. He didn't feel like fighting the entire town guard today), so he vaulted out of the rooms window. Using his shadow magic, he phased from building to building, keeping to the shadows, until he had reached the town's entrance. Taking a last look at Wun-Chien in the light of dawn, Kayn set out for the trip back to the Order's monastery.

There was quite a few things he had to talk to Zed about.

* * *

Was that edgy enough? Probably not. Leave a comment if you enjoyed.


	5. An old Evil, and a new Challenge

"Your dead period arrived teacher." - Kaynakin, Backstroke of the West.

Memes aside, I want to take a moment to thank everyone that has in some way commented, favorites or anything like that on this story. Of course, special thanks to Ichi for his review, but everyone else, feel personally appreciated by me as well. It means a lot to me, so I put in a lil' more for this chapter. Enjoy!

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If Kayn were in the mood, he'd said it was a beautiful morning as he stood in front of the grand dojo once more. The sun was shining gently over the mountaintops, the trees were swaying softly in the wind, and aside from the occasional shout or clash of steel, there was a tranquil quiet over the monastery. His ego was severely crushed however, considering he had to report an actual failure to his master, and so brought himself to push open the wooden doors, bracing himself for the incoming confrontation.

To his relief, he wasn't assaulted like last time. Instead, he found his master resting on his cushions, cross-legged, with a messenger beside him. It seemed Zed was receiving another report first, as he stared intently at the acolyte beside him, hunched over, his head resting on his fist.

As Kayn looked out towards his master, flashes of his nightmares appeared before his eyes. For a split second, Zed's body laid on the ground, his decapitated head beside him, blood staining everything. Kayn closed his eyes tightly. _"It's not real… It's not real!"_ he thought to himself, before he opened his eyes once more. Thankfully, the vision had passed. Zed was fine, and he'd be fine for a long time to come. At least, that's what Kayn forced himself to believe to calm his nerves.

Finally seeing the conversation come to an end, he approached the two men at a respectful distance. The end of their conversation managed to reach his ears.

"Tell them I will meet them tomorrow at dawn. You are dismissed." Zed spoke to the messenger, who bowed and made for the exit in a quick but silent manner. Then the elder ninja turned towards his pupil. A tired look was on his face, but he quickly covered it up with a stoic expression. "Ah, Kayn. You have returned."

Kayn bowed down low, arms straight at his side, showing his respect.

"Yes, master."

Zed gestured to another cushion laid out in front of him. "Then take a seat, and give me your report."

Seating himself opposite to his master, Kayn cleared his throat pointedly before he began. "The mission was a failure. I met with Akali as you ordered, and I almost managed to build her trust, but I could not persuade her to join our order. In fact, she engaged me in battle after I revealed you were my master." Then he added, in an almost annoyed tone, "It would've been nice of you to tell me you killed her father before you sent me to recruit her."

Zed seemed thoroughly unfazed by the offhanded comment.

"I told you all you needed to know to proceed with your mission. Akali is left unharmed, as I ordered?" Expectation rung heavily in his master's voice as his eyes narrowed.

"Yes, not a single hair on her head was harmed by me." Kayn answered truthfully.

His master relaxed his posture, a smile on his face. "Then you've passed the test."

Kayn had been prepared for anything. Verbal admonishment for his failure, grueling physical punishment, anything really, except for this. The surprise made him lose his composure for a moment, and he stood up, clearly agitated. "What do you mean, I've 'passed the test'? This was never about Akali, was it? I thought this was some meaningful mission, not another pointless test of character!"

He reeled back immediately. He hadn't meant to snap like that, and now, Zed had even more reason to punish him for his blatant disrespect and insubordination. Against his expectations however, his master remained completely calm.

"Indeed, recruiting Akali was never the true purpose of your mission. In fact, I was certain she would fight you, but this was necessary to see how you would perform under duress, especially under the influence of your weapon." He stared into his pupil's eyes. "And it still has an influence on you, does it not? Be honest with me, Kayn."

The younger ninja let out a sigh of exasperation. He didn't want to think back to his moment of weakness, but he had to be strong. "It does. When I refused to strike Akali, Rhaast attempted to make me kill her. I resisted him though, long enough for her to escape." Kayn was loath to admit this next part, but he wanted to keep no secrets from Zed. "In fact, it seems that after I passed out, she dragged me to safety, and attempted to seal away the scythe with Kinkou charms."

His master raised himself from the cushions and laid a hand on his students' shoulder. "But you managed to resist. You see, I have had the suspicion for quite some time that the Darkin thrived off rage and bloodshed. I needed to see if you were strong enough to stay true to your mission, in spite of the Darkin's influence, and I am truly proud you managed to." Zed took a step back, before gesturing to the kunai still fixed to Kayn's belt.

"She left you a present?"

Kayn laid a hand on the weapon self-consciously. "Yeah, something like a... parting gift."

Zed laughed. "My greatest student and my enemies greatest student, together?" he questioned, but Kayn could detect the joking tone of his master.

The question made Kayn think back to his encounter with Akali. Outwardly she was rude, insulting even, with that certain sassiness you'd expect from a teenager, but he respected her combat prowess, and her attitude reminded him of himself. With his blush intensifying, he also had to admit: she was technically attractive.

Was he actually crushing on the female ninja? Kayn had to admit to himself, he knew little of such matters. It still embarrassed him to no end that he used to have a crush on Zed when he was younger, and while he made sure no-one ever found out about that particular phase, he was still highly insecure considering things such as his feelings towards other people.

He shook his head. "No... I don't think I'm her type."

Zed was smiling again, a little crookedly. "Do not let me hold you back from pursuing such things."

Kayn was slightly disturbed by his master's behavior. Zed might not have been the emotionless demon ninja many pictured him as, but such topics were highly unusual for him. Dating advice from Zed? There was something off here, the humor seemed forced. It wasn't immediately obvious, but Kayn could see in his master's eyes a vulnerability he rarely displayed.

"Master, forgive me for intruding, but is something wrong? I feel like there's something on your mind."

Zed sighed, the smile fading from his face.

"Indeed, Kayn. I was going to tell you anyway, but I wanted to put this off as much as I could. He began. "I just received report from our spies. Jhin has been sighted again."

The younger ninja was shocked. Khada Jhin, the Golden Demon, was the bane of his master's existence. Apparently, Zed had wanted to kill the murderous "artist" for justice, only to be held back by his adoptive father, Kusho, which started the deep rift between him and the Kinkou. Now, a fearful rumor spread through the land that corrupt Ionian officials had released Jhin under their service, and Zed had been trying to track his nemesis down ever since. This was his chance!

"I assume you are going to try and stop him once more."

Zed nodded. "Yes. As much as I dislike it, tomorrow I will leave to meet with Shen. Only together will we have a chance to defeat the Golden Demon."

Kayn perked up. "Then take me with you! I'll help you defeat Jhin and prove my worth!"

To his horror, Zed shook his head. "No, Kayn. You will not come with me. This is something I have to deal with myself."

"But I've been training for this my entire life! Let me help, master!" The younger ninja protested.

"That is not true. You have been training to become my successor, or so you have told me. Someone will have to supervise the Order while I am away, and I rest this duty in your hands."

Kayn's ego was strongly divided on how to react to that. On one side, he was immensely honored that Zed would leave the order in his hands, on the other side he was incredibly hurt and even offended that his master would rather fight together with Shen, whom he hated for life, instead of himself, his trusted student.

A sympathetic look crossed Zeds face. "I know what you are thinking right now, Kayn. But this is something from my past, and I do not want you caught in the middle of it." Then, almost ruefully, he added "I will not lie to you, but your scythe is also at fault. It makes you an… unstable factor. Jhin must be stopped, and I cannot allow anything to come in my way. Do you understand?"

His student lowered his head, silently gritting his teeth. "Yes, master. I understand."

Zed smiled at him again. "Good. There is no-one else I would rather leave the Order with than you. I am sure you will find this experience most beneficial."

* * *

It was thus that Kayn, instead of fighting besides his master the following day, now found himself standing before a row of acolytes. There had been a big assembly the evening prior, where Zed had announced that he would be gone for an unspecified amount of time, and that Kayn would lead the Order during his absence. The following morning, he'd left at dawn with some of his best warriors, leaving the Order in the hands of his student.

It had only hit Kayn that morning however that he had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to do. The prospect of being Zeds successor had always been so appealing that he'd neglected what it actually meant to direct a hundred or so ninjas. Thankfully though, his master had deemed it fit to leave him a scroll filled with instructions, and while it felt like admitting weakness, Kayn was nonetheless grateful he wasn't entirely lost.

Something else nagged at him as well. Would anyone actually listen to him? Zed might have ordered them to, but Kayn was sort of an outcast even amongst his fellow ninja, and he wasn't sure if he could keep his calm in face of insubordination. _"Well, only one way to find out"_ , he thought.

"Good morning, students!" he called out in the most serious voice he could muster.

They all more or less stood at attention, answering him with a half-hearted: "Good morning, master." before bowing. That went better than he'd expected.

Kayn took a moment to inspect his little group. Ten of his fellow ninjas, lined up before him. According to his master, these were Rank 2's who'd been performing poorly for quite some time.

To elaborate, the Order of Shadows was built up in multiple levels of rank. At the top stood the Master, Zed, and below him, the Shadow Assassins, the elite, who also comprised most of the teachers. Then came the Acolytes, from Rank 1 to 3. Rank 3 was for new initiates, who advanced to Rank 2 once they'd proven themselves worthy to receive the Orders shadow magic, and then Rank 1, once they mastered the shadows and their weapon of choice. Kayn himself was a special case, teetering on the edge of rank 1 to his desired position of Shadow Assassin but due to his… background, he was far closer to Zed than most others.

With consideration to Zeds usual attitude towards those he deemed "weak", it was reasonable to expect that the Orders training regimen was strict and unforgiving. However, that was only true to a certain extent: ample time was given to everyone to educate themselves. You were still expected to improve at some point though, and if you failed to, then you'd be kicked out. That's why Kayn was here to whip these guys into shape.

Based on their masters far more elaborate uniform, the ninjas were all clad in the Orders signature black combat garments, and all of them wore facial masks with magically inlaid eyepieces. From the inside, these granted perfect vision, while appearing threatening on the outside. In comparison to them, Kayn's clothes and armor (or lack thereof) were almost flamboyant, but then, he'd always preferred cloaking himself in shadows.

Right now, however, the uniform attired was more of a detriment. He wanted to see the faces of the people that he was supposed to work with, get to know them so he could properly teach them.

"Alright, everyone. To start us off, please remove your masks." He instructed them.

His little band of ninjas looked confused, turning to look at their fellows, before someone on the right spoke up. "Why would we do that? These are part of who we are." "Yeah, what gives?" another piped up.

Kayn was tempted to say something along the lines of "because I told you to", but he held his tongue.

"You don't see me hiding my face from you, do you now? If I'm supposed to train you guys, I want to know who you are at least, so take off the masks."

The one he'd spoken to gave a shrug, before pulling off the mask. The hood parted to reveal a man who might've been two years older than Kayn. He had short, dark blond hair, and a battle-hardened face that belied his origins. _"He's from Bahrl. Probably scarred from the Noxian invasion."_ Kayn thought, surprised.

Then the man stepped forwards, and Kayn found him towering over himself by a few centimeters. A look of annoyance crossed the other acolytes face as he mustered his would-be master. "Look, don't act all tough and smart, _Kayn_. You're still an acolyte just like us, and just because Zed thinks you're special, doesn't mean we do."

Who did this guy think he was, talking to him like that? Before he could formulate a response, a female voice spoke up.

"Leave him alone, brother. We are here to finally catch up, and if Zed thinks we can learn from him, then who are we to argue?"

Another mask was removed, revealing a mop of short, ginger hair. She also wore an expression full of annoyance, but this one was directed at her fellow acolyte.

"Now get back in line and let the man do his job."

The first man grumbled to himself, before he went back in line. Kayn suppressed his need to spill the offenders blood, and shot her a look of gratitude, to which she simply nodded her head. By now, all the other students had unmasked themselves, giving their new master a good look at who he was dealing with.

From below the shrouds, a plethora of people came forth, Men and women, from many different backgrounds. Kayn was by no means an expert on Ionian cultures, but he had learned to tell them apart just fine. Many were from Navori of course, but the two he'd spoken to just now were obviously from Bahrl, another pair came from Zhyun, and he swore one of them looked like he came from Pallas.

Then he raised his voice once more. "Alright then, since I have no idea how good you guys are, we will perform some sparring matches first. I'll fight you one by one, without shadow techniques, and then we go from there. Who wants to go first?"

His class looked only mildly interested. Grabbing a sword from the weapons rack nearby, Kayn pointed at the troublemaker. "You, you're up first then. Pick whatever weapon you want, and come at me."

His opponent went for a short sword, just like him, and went in charging. Within a few seconds of fighting, he was on the ground, disarmed, with Kayn's blade pressed into his chest. Payback had been delivered.

"Is that all? Pitiful. Your stance was weak, your tactics elementary and your execution sluggish." He withdrew his blade. "Next please!"

The man dusted himself off, before returning to the line, a sour look on his face. The next few trainees faired far better. Coming at him with a variety of weapons, swords, arm-blades, lances and spears, Kayn would adapt to their fighting styles and disarm them in due time. Their skills weren't shabby, he admitted, but nowhere close to his level.

Finishing his ninth opponent, Kayn gestured for the final one to come forth. It was the girl from before, and to his surprise, she brandished a kama at him. As she entered her battle stance, he couldn't help but think back to Akali. Unlike her weapon, which had been an elegant, polished blade, the kama used by his student was far less fancy, with a simply blade and blackened iron to match her uniform.

With a cry, the female acolyte launched herself towards him. Still distracted by his memories, Kayn was completely thrown off guard when the grip of her weapon suddenly extended into a sort of rope, and she began swinging the blade at him. He brought up his own sword just in time, but the kama wrapped around his weapon and with a swift motion, he was disarmed.

His weapon clattered to the ground behind him, leaving him standing there in a daze, his arms still outstretched. How did that happen? _How did he get this distracted? What the hell was wrong with him?_

His opponent swung her weapon one more time, before the handle retracted itself, returning it to its original state. "That wasn't too bad, was it now, master?" She questioned, a smile on her face. Kayn found that ten pairs of eyes rested on him, which startled him enough to snap him out of his reverie.

"I only went easy on you." He quipped quickly, trying to smooth over the whole affair, "But I see now what you guys are capable of. We can work with that." Grabbing his sword from the ground with a tendril of darkness, he continued. "Now let's see if you're any good with shadow techniques."

To his surprise, his students proved to struggle almost the same way as him. Some attempted to desperately keep their shadowy counterparts in existence, while others never managed to summon one in the first place. He could see why they needed a catchup course… but he couldn't help them, Zed knew that.

"It's no fair!" A female acolyte whined, shaking Kayn from his musings. "Why does Zed make it look so easy? I'll never get the hang of this!"

He couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

"Well, things like these take time and patience…" he began, before trailing off. That sounded so horribly wrong coming from him. It was…

 _It was the sort of stuff Zed would usually say to him._

Kayn's eyes widened as he realized Zed had played him, again. This was yet another mission for him that was coupled with some sort of test. Some "help them grow and grow yourself" thing. _"Alright, master."_ He thought. _"I'll play along."_

The newly encouraged master looked out over his group. They'd more or less given up, and had their gazes all set on him now, a pleading gleam in their eyes. Kayn knew he had to lift their spirits, or he'd never get anywhere. An idea popped up in his head then. Only thinking about it delivered mortal blows to his ego, but it was the only way he could get out of this.

"Guys, I want to tell you a secret you might find interesting." He began, drawing their attention once more. Taking a moment to look into their faces, he found a certain anticipation in their eyes, dare he say even hope. They were desperate enough for a miracle it seemed. Then he dropped the proverbial bomb on them.

"I have as much mastery of the living shadow as you guys have."

Silence. For a few precious moments, everything was silent. Then slowly but surely, as the words of their master finally hit home, looks of both despair and anger began gracing the faces of Kayn's students. An angry groan of frustration erupted from one of them.

"What's the point of all this then? We've been working on the living shadows for months! If you can't teach us these techniques, well never become real ninjas!"

A knowing smirk appeared on Kayn's face as he remembered his master's words.

"Perhaps you take to a different style of fighting then."

Another student, the one from Pallas, spoke up. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Has anyone here ever seen a Shadow Step?" Everyone more or less shook their head, so Kayn decided a demonstration was in order.

Focusing on the power of the magic lingering at the edge of his mind, he willed his body to enter the shadows, and with a purposefully dramatic stride, he simply walked into the wall of the armory. The indescribably sensation of phasing through solid mass enveloped him once more, until he exited on the inside of the building. Taking a moment to collect himself, he turned around and pushed his head back out again.

"Peek-a-boo."

They all looked at him with disbelief and awe. He phased back outside, and stood before his group once more.

"It's a rarer art of shadow magic, far more focused on yourself and your own body, than on shadow clones. Perhaps you will find this more to your liking?"

From the looks on their faces, they were intrigued.

"Now, anyone think they can do that?" he asked into the round. The cocky young man from before raised his hand.

"I'll try it. Just tell me what I need to do." He spoke, stepping forward.

Him again? "Alright. You have a general idea on how to move through the shadows normally, yes?" His student nodded.

"Then just do that, but force yourself into the wall instead. Sounds easy, doesn't it?"

The man in question puffed out his chest, seemingly trying to cover up his earlier insecurity. Shadows welled up around him, and he strode towards the wall purposefully. "Piece of cake." He said, and then swiftly jumped against the solid obstacle with an audible *thump*. As his pupil fell back to the ground, Kayn suppressed his need to laugh. The other acolytes were far less merciful, laughing loudly at their comrade's expense.

Surprisingly, after that little incident, things started to go along smoothly. Most of them listened in intently as Kayn explained deeper the mechanics of shadow stepping and gave demonstrations to go along. Then they'd begun practice. Of course, he hadn't expected anyone to immediately match his prowess on their first try, but by the end of the day, everyone had managed to phase a hand or a foot into the wall before they lost focus, and one had even gotten his arm into the wall up to the elbow, a look of surprise on his face all the way.

Watching them, Kayn couldn't help but feel a weird sense of pride. This was his work, he'd taught them to do that, and when they looked happy at any progress they made, he felt rewarded too.

Time flew by, and before Kayn knew it, evening had arrived, bathing the dojo in a soft, orange light. It was time to pack up.

"Alright guys, we were off to a rough beginning today, but we've got something to work with. I expect you tomorrow at the same time. Have a good evening!"

He was surprised in a most positive way as, with one exception, they all bowed before him, answering with a far more enthusiastic: "To you too, master!", before slowly filing out of the court and towards their dorms. Their little group might not have been perfect, Kayn thought as he watched the rebel from earlier sulk by, giving him a dirty look, but he couldn't help but be exited for their next training session.

Looking out over the monastery, he had to wonder: was this what Zed had been trying to achieve?

* * *

 _Somewhere in the Kinkou monastery, in the darkness of a dormitory room, hidden well in a locked closet, sat a bound packet. A rope that had once been tied tightly around it now hung loosely around a shredded cloth, surrounded by small pieces of burned paper. Inside the cloth, something ancient rested, dreaming of war, death and emptiness, but also golden sands, blue sky, and endless starlight._


	6. Encouragement from Unlikely Sources

(Update: I always wanted to write fanfiction close to the lore, and considering how much time I spent reading on it, I thought myself pretty capable. So you can imagine how genuinely upset I was when I realized our guest reviewer was right. I went completely off mark, casually ignoring stuff, and while reading criticism always stings, I'm endlessly grateful that it was constructive criticism. So, I took the chance to not only fix my newer content, but also to improve on the older chapters in general. The general direction of the story remains the same, but I hope the whole "Akali-Arc" is a little more... believeable I guess? Feedback is highly appreciated, as usual. -Priest)

* * *

It was, without a doubt, another beautiful day at the Kinkou Monastery. The sun was shining gently over the mountaintops, the trees were swaying softly in the wind, and aside from the occasional shout or clash of steel, there was a tranquil quiet over the monastery. Kayn strode down the large stone stairs towards the training grounds at a leisurely pace, looking out over the many acolytes exercising and training with their teachers. Seeing the Order flourish like this, he couldn't help the smile creeping onto his face.

Down below, his own little group of students was already waiting for him. Two of them seemed to be engaged in combat, going at one another with both weapons and shadow techniques, while most of the others either stood in a loose circle, spectating the fight, or practicing on their techniques. Wanting to take a closer look at their skirmish without disrupting the moment, Kayn snuck up on the fight with his Shadow Step.

The combatants in question were the kama-wielding girl from last time facing off against a man from Navori. It occurred to Kayn then that he didn't even know the names of his students, and he made a mental note to rectify that later. Right now, he was witness as his student decimated her fellow with no mercy, forcing him to defend and evade constantly, and Kayn could see her capitalize on her opponents every mistake.

Finally, the female ninja swung her kama in a wide arc, its handle extending. Kayn realized that she was going for the same finisher that she had used against him, and from the shocked look on his face, he could tell that her opponent was aware of what was coming, but he seemed too exhausted to dodge and was swiftly disarmed.

A smile grew on Kayn's face once more. There was still much work to do, but he could see the amount of effort they put into improving themselves. Honestly, he was in disbelief of how quickly their attitudes had changed, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

Emerging from his hiding spot in the wall, Kayn clapped his hands loudly in approval, alerting the group to his presence. Almost immediately, all heads shot towards him, but as they scrambled off to form a line, he raised his hand to stop them.

"Well done, you two." He spoke. "You can do better though. You, kama-girl, don't always resort to the same trick, or you'll be in trouble one day. And you, other guy, never lose focus, and never panic, or you'll never win." He spoke from memory, reminded of his own spar with Zed. Solemn nods came from the two fighters. Kayn continued. "I'm happy to see that you're so invested in all this. At least, I hope you're all putting in as much effort as… who are you anyway?" he said, turning towards the two fighters.

The kama-wielding ninja nodded. "I'm Tehr'li, from the region Bahrl, master."

"Yes, like Tehr'li here. Because if you guys slack off, Zed will blame it on me… _and we don't want that, do we?_ " Kayn growled, putting on his scariest face.

When he received only looks of concern, he dropped the act. "Guys, relax, I'm just kidding. You'll be fine."

His class didn't seem convinced, but went along anyway. Shaking his head, Kayn stood himself in front of them, arms behind his back like a Noxian commander. "Now, for something completely different- In your opinion, what is the strongest weapon anyone can have?"

The group looked at one another, before someone spoke up. "A well-forged katana!"

Kayn shook his head. Another voice piped up: "Ancient shadow magic?" Another shake of the head. "What is it then?" questioned Tehr'li.

The senior ninja laughed. "You are your own strongest weapon. Swords, shuriken, shadows, they are all just your tools." Kayn let the shadows curl around him menacingly to emphasize his point. "It's something I have learned that you should take to heart: the enemy must _fear_ _YOU_. Your name, your face, you as an individual must be a thing of terror in the hearts of your foes."

A man from Zhyun raised his hand. "But then why are we all made to dress like faceless goons? That sort of contradicts your teaching, master."

Kayn laughed at that. "Right now, you ARE faceless goons. Just another bunch of foot soldiers for the order. You have to _prove_ that you're important by yourself, that you stand out from the crowd. Only then will you get anywhere in the Order."

Understanding looks and nods came from most of the crowd. Kayn could see that his words resonated with his students. Maybe that was why Zed had these people to him specifically, because he knew they would understand his views.

Suddenly, a voice of dissent came from the very back. "Why should we trust you on this?" spoke a familiar rebel. "Following that path of yours has only brought trouble, hasn't it?"

Kayn's eyes shot to where the man was standing, giving him a deadly glare. He was well aware of how precarious his situation within the Order was, and he did not need this insolent idiot to remind him of it. Who did he think he was to judge him? Did they have any idea what he was going through? The shadow ninja was thoroughly done taking his students wisecracks though. He'd tried to be patient, but enough was enough.

"You. What's your name?" he spat.

"Sho-Zuo, from Bahrl." The man returned.

Kayn beckoned him forward, and the other ninja strode out of line, standing before him with distrust etched into his features.

"Who did you lose in the war?" the older ninja questioned in a fake tone of sympathy. A look of confusion crossed the face of his student. "Excuse me?"

Coldness immediately seeped into Kayn's voice. "I can tell you're upset with me for some reason, It's not complicated. I'm from Noxus, you're from Bahrl, where the invading armies landed. You lost someone very close, and now you're projecting your hate and grief onto me. Does that sound right?"

Sho-Zuo was stunned. He blinked, once, then twice, before he lowered his head, gritting his teeth audibly. "My parents. Noxus took my parents from me that day… innocent farmers slaughtered without mercy. I swore to avenge them after our glorious leaders refused to retaliate, as part of Zed's uprising! And what now? I'm being bossed around by the spawn of my very enemies. By a _filthy_ _Noxian_!" His voice rose as he looked up at Kayn, clearly upset.

A vein almost visibly popped up on Kayn's forehead. "You dare…?" he began. The shadow ninja could feel his blood begin to boil, but all thoughts of control had left him. A line had been crossed, and he'd make Sho-Zuo regret walking over it. "You dare call me that?! Did you ever consider that Noxus might've hurt me as well? How do you think _I_ felt when Noxus took me from my parents, huh?!" Kayn's voice rose further and further as his past welled up inside of him.

"Do you think I asked to be conscripted into the army as a child and sent to some godforsaken land to die?" He stared feverishly into the shocked faces of the group. "Yes, it's true. I was part of the army that landed in Bahrl that day, left for dead by my own glorious nation as fodder for a pointless war! I fought to survive back then, barely six years old, until Zed himself rescued me and took me into the order. I don't care if you like me as a person, but in the name of the Kindred, call me a Noxian one more time and I swear Zed will have scrape your remains off the temple walls!"

Silence had fallen not only over the group, but the entire training court. Kayn hadn't noticed, but as he'd grown angrier, the shadows had welled up all around him, until a thick aura of darkness had fallen over everyone present. Taking a few shaky breaths, he tried to calm himself down.

The heavy tension was finally broken when Sho-Zuo began to stutter, his previous self-confidence completely crushed. He seemed so much smaller than Kayn now, who was towering over him, radiating fury. "I'm… I didn't… I didn't know-"

Kayn cut him off. "Of course, you wouldn't know. How could you? I worked hard my entire life to be where I am now. I'm fighting an ancient demonic scythe for control over my body for crying out loud! And what are you doing? Wallowing in self-pity and dragging down others with your pitiful whining. I feel bad for your parents that they have to be avenged by someone like you!" He took a deep breath, straining to contain his anger. "Leave. Now, before I forget myself."

Sho-Zuo almost cowered before him now.. "I'm sorry, Ma-" He didn't get any further, as his master brandished a short-sword, pointing the tip at his throat. _"I said, leave. If I ever see your face again, I'll kill you."_ Kayn hissed. Wide-eyed, the student turned on his heels and ran, clearly afraid for his life. It was only when the interloper was long gone that Kayn's shoulders slumped, and he turned to look at his assembled students. Shocked and concerned faces looked back.

"What, what do you want?!" he snapped. Nobody dared to respond, clearly knowing that whoever approached the incensed shadow ninja would probably lose a limb or two. Thankfully, someone else interrupted the awkward situation

"Master Kayn?" The man in question turned to face the person behind him. Taken aback by Kayn's expression, the messenger faltered for a moment, before he delivered his report. "We found this letter pinned to the monastery doors. There was no indication of origin, and no one was clearly addressed, but we figured it was for you." He ripped the paper from the mans hand. His eyes flew over the letter, eyes widening as he realized who had left this message for him.

 _To the scythe-wielding maniac from the Shadow Order, meet me today at the location written below._

A crude drawing of the Monastery was scrawled below the writing, with an X marking a nearby forest. Akali wanted to meet him there? Fine by him. He had to get out of here fast, before he chopped someone's head off. But what to do with his class?

"Class, something… important came up. I'm done teaching you for today. Just fight each other one on one, like before. Leave whenever you want."

His students looked severely dumbfounded by their master's order, but before they could so much as protest, Kayn had already began striding off in the most dignified manner he could achieved.

When he was sure he'd gotten enough distance between himself and everything else, he took a moment to take a few deep breaths. Now that he'd calmed down, he could truly reflect on his actions. His temper had gotten the best of himself again, far worse than ever before. Was Rhaast's influence on him really this strong? _"But then, who did that guy think he was... pushing me like that?"_ He thought to himself. It had been a little crass to hand out a death sentence like that, especially since the other man was still a part of his Order. Bu then, he'd devoted his life to opposing Noxus, and he would not be insulted like that. His eyes fell to the letter he still held clenched in his right hand. Maybe that would get his mind off this problem.

* * *

Leaves and dirt crunched underfoot as Kayn made his way through the woods surrounding the monastery. To the uninitiated, the dense foliage might've been scary, especially considering the threatening aura the ancient temple that towered over the treetops exuded nowadays, but Kayn felt completely at ease. He might have been unarmed, a show of good will towards the Kinkou, but he was fully capable of breaking the neck of anything or anyone that could've ambushed him in seconds, especially considering his… current mood.

Brushing away a particularly large bush with his infested arm, the ninjas eyes came upon the small clearing before him. An old, abandoned temple shack stood off to the side, made of weathered, aged stones, the roof long since collapsed. He had no idea what the purpose of the building had been, but he didn't particularly care either. Instead, his eyes fell on the figure sitting casually on a piece of crumbling stone wall.

Kayn was surprised Akali had chosen a location this close to the Order's headquarters to meet, but as far as he knew, this had once been her home, so it made sense she'd know her way around here. The ninja in question wore the same clothes as last time (which was odd, but who was Kayn to judge with his own sense of fashion?), and she was holding a paper bag, munching away at some snacks. Her satchel with the kama rested below her, a clear message to him. _She was ready to strike him down if he acted out._

Her eyes shot up to meet his as he stepped near. "Hello, Akali." He spoke.

"Yo." She answered nonchalantly, before going back to her snacks.

Kayn was slightly stumped. He had to admit he had no idea how to progress now that he'd arrived, so he just sat himself down against the wall. Curse his inability to hold normal conversations! Especially now, since he couldn't read her intentions... Swallowing his lingering anger, he made himself comfortable.

"So, what are you eating there?" he questioned her, trying to make small talk.

Akali stopped midway through eating another piece of unknown food, before she turned to look at him. "Oh? They call these "caramels". They're made from burned sugar, cream and… honey, I think? I'm not sure." She plopped the candy she'd been holding into her mouth.

"That doesn't sound too healthy." Kayn quipped.

She just shrugged. "It's not, probably. But who cares? I don't." Then she held out the bag to him. "Want some?"

"Sure." He responded, before taking a piece. It was sticky, but soft, and he chewed on it experimentally. It did _taste_ like honey a little, but mostly, it was just disgusting amounts of sugar. Kayn decided he liked it then.

The next minute or so, they just sat there in silence, enjoying the sugary poison, before Akali let out a groan, finding the bag empty. "Damn, now they're all gone. Why'd you have to be so greedy?" Kayn looked up at his companion and let out a guilty chuckle. As a response, she crumpled up the paper bag in a rather violent gesture.

"So, why'd you want to meet up with me?" Kayn questioned, both trying to change the topic and genuinely curious.

"I had to see if the Shadow Orders scythe-wielding maniac was still in one piece. You know, considering what happened last time." Akali answered.

His expression soured. "I've been better."

"Hm, what's going on with you, scythe-man? Why so down?" Akali asked him, almost mockingly.

"Zed's gone off with Shen to fight that artist… Jhin, was it? Now I'm stuck with his students instead of fighting along with him." Kayn complained.

The Kinkou nodded. "I know the feeling. Shen would never let me help either. He'd go off to save the world, while I'd be stuck with learning mantras or meditating on the importance of balance."

Kayn threw up his hands in exasperation, annoyance etched on his face. "Why is that? I've been training hard for occasions just like these, but Zed would rather fight with your master Shen than with me!"

The former Fist of Shadows shrugged. "Shen wouldn't take me with him after my first encounter with Jhin either. 'You're the future of the Order, I can't afford to lose you' he'd say. Yeah, but what if he died? Would that be any better? I never got that."

Kayn had to laugh at that. "Zed said almost the exact same thing to me before he left. Who'd have thought two sworn enemies could be so similar?"

Akali swung her feet a little, obviously contemplating what they'd just exchanged. Then she turned towards him again. "So, how'd you find the time to come here? I'd have thought you were on another murder spree with your Order by now."

"Oh no", he responded. "I'm now in charge of teaching the students that Zed has no more patience with."

The face of his companion scrunched up into a slight grimace. "Tell me you're kidding." Akali groaned.

"I'm not. Zed promoted me to master on trial while he's gone."

"Oh no. And here I thought there was anything redeemable about you." Akali snarked.

"Being a teacher is hard, believe me. Almost ripped a guys head off today." He groaned, painfully reminded of today's lesson.

Akali looked severely disturbed. "Is that normal in your Order?"

Kayn's face scrunched up. "No, but this one pissed me off to no end. He hates me because his parents were killed by Noxus."

Confusion appeared on Akali's face. "So?"

"I was born in Noxus. I've cut all my ties to the empire, murdered dozens of their soldiers on their soil, and yet he treats me like I'm still one of them." Immediately, he regretted saying that. Akali hated Noxus, she'd told him as much… he'd given her another reason to kill him right there. Fortunately for him, the attack he had been bracing for never came.

"Huh, I wouldn't have figured. Now that you say it though, you do sorta look Noxian." She sighed. Seeing his conflicted expression, she added "No, don't worry, I won't cut you up. Not today." He'd caught that last threat, but didn't comment on it.

Silence fell between the two once more. Around them, the forest was peaceful, clashing with their rather militant appearance. The sun shone brightly, leaving little of the shadow which both of the ninjas favored so much, and small birds hopped over the grass, filling the air with cheerful music, unknowing of the danger the assassins could pose to them.

Contemplating the scenery, Kayn was surprised when Akali spoke up again. "Here's what I've been meaning to ask all along: where _is_ your scythe anyway? I put up quite the effort to secure that thing for you, after all." She questioned.

Kayn's expression turned sour once more. "I locked it away. After what happened with you in the tavern, I wasn't sure if I could trust myself to stay in control, for now" Then, as an afterthought, he added "I still apologize for that, by the way."

"Apology accepted. Though I'm curious, what is that thing even? That's no average gardening tool you're hauling around with you there, for sure."

The shadow ninja sighed. He hated how little he knew himself about Rhaast, but Akali did deserve to know. He'd sort of almost murdered her after all.

"The thing inside the scythe calls itself Rhaast. He's one of the beings named the Darkin. I retrieved him from a Noxian patrol. Apparently, the Empire wanted to use his power as well, which I couldn't allow."

Akali raised an eyebrow. "A Darkin? Might've read about them in one of Shen's books. What do they do again?"

"They are ancient beings trapped within weapons, likely as punishment for their destructive ways. No idea who imprisoned them, but they try to break free by possessing foolish mortals who attempt to wield them. This particular one seems to have eaten through hundreds of mortal lives, and yet I managed to resist where others failed."

"Why'd you take up the weapon then if all it does is attempt to possess you?" she questioned carefully, but Kayn could sense what she truly wanted to ask him: " _Why would you be so stupid to wield such a thing?"_

"I told you, they weren't sealed away for no reason. When I first laid my eyes on the scythe, I could practically feel the immense power it radiated. The moment I touched it, the well of power inside opened up to me, while at the same time, Rhaast gained access to my mind and body. You can tell where this is going, yes?"

She nodded. "So, you're fighting for control. You want his power, he wants to be free from his prison." Then she laughed. "You're completely insane, you know that?"

Kayn chuckled. He was, wasn't he? To most, if not all people, this entire thing was complete madness. Which meant it was completely normal for him.

Akali stood up, drawing Kayn's gaze once more. "So, no more slacking off then, 'Master Kayn'. You'll go back to that monastery of yours, you pick up that damn weapon, and then you'll conquer it."

He was amused by her excitement, but doubt still nagged at him. "You think I should? I was going to give it a few more da-" She cut him off.

"Shut up. What happened to the Kayn I met in Wun-Chien? Where'd all that unbearable self-confidence go?"

She had a point. He was almost surprised himself with the way he acted. He'd been avoiding the scythe for far longer than he ever had before. Was he… actually afraid of facing Rhaast again?

"That self-confidence almost caused me to kill you, remember?" he explained himself.

She looked down at where he sat, arms crossed. From the scowl on her face, Kayn could tell she was thoroughly unimpressed.

"Stop making excuses. I hate to say this, but I feel like you have the best chances at defeating that thing, considering what you've told me."

"That's an awful lot of faith in me." Kayn quipped in disbelief.

Akali snorted in a rather unladylike fashion, before replying. "Well, let me put it this way then: If I had to choose between your Order or ancient demons, I'd go for your Order. It's the lesser evil."

A chuckle came from Kayn, which slowly grew into full blown laughter, complete with a tiny amount of insanity mixed in it. Akali watched him have his fit, visibly disturbed at by his reaction. Laughter turned to amused wheezing soon, and the shadow ninja had to take a few deep breaths to steady himself.

"Alright, that's an argument." Kayn hacked out, still out of breath.

Akali nodded. "Good, we understand each other then." She turned to look at the sky. The sun had reached its zenith while they'd been chatting away, burning down brightly onto the meadow. It was midday now. "I'll take my leave now. There's more people that want to see my kama up close today."

She picked up her satchel with her trademark kama and kunai, slinging it around her waist. Before turning to leave, she spoke one last time. "Don't make me regret keeping you alive."

When the Kinkou had finally disappeared into the undergrowth, Kayn began to ponder her words. She was right, if he failed, Ionia was in great danger, and he was the only one who could prevent it. Sitting around and hiding away from his duty would help no-one, in fact, looking back, he was disgusted with his own cowardice.

Clenching his fists, he made a decision then. He'd be dusting off a gardening tool today.

* * *

Kayn's room was, in all meanings of the word, plain. It had the mandatory bed, a small table, a washing corner with shutters, and a large closet that spanned most of the wall opposite the door. Other than that, however, it was almost fully lacking in personalized decoration, Kayn not having many items to call his own and never being one to hoard trinkets either. The only things he kept were a small figure of the Twin Masks of Death on his table, as well as a calligraphy of his new, Ionian name on the wall.

He stepped up to his closet, opening the double doors to the clothing compartment. Since he wore the same type of clothing almost every day, it was largely empty, allowing him to store larger objects inside, such as his demon scythe.

To his shock, he found the seal on the carefully wrapped package broken. The ofuda were nothing but small heaps of ash now, and he could feel Rhaast's presence once more. In all honesty, Kayn knew that the Darkin wouldn't have been contained for long, but it had only been a few days.

With determination set on his face, he severed the cords around the package with his kunai, ripping off the tattered cover in a flourish. From underneath, the warped blackened metal of the Darkin scythe came forth, and Kayn could feel the ancient power slowly awaken. The eye on the weapon fluttered open, before it came to rest on him.

" **Kayn."** The Darkin's voice once more resonated within his head, almost sounding sleepy.

"Rhaast." The ninja answered. Taking up his courage, he wrapped his fingers around the scythe once more, lifting it out of its prison.

A chuckle came from the scythe. **"So, you've come crawling back. Seems like you do need me aft-"**

" _No_." Kayn cut him off with the coldest voice he could muster, and to his surprise the Darkin actually shut up for once.

"You're no longer in control, Rhaast, and you will never be. The Order… _no, **I** will break you_."

* * *

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	7. Problems Within, Problems Without

We now return to our regularly scheduled Kayn and Rhaast shenanigans, with some Zed sprinkled in there. Also actually plot-important things happen this time.

Sorry for making you wait, but University isn't kind with free time, and so I decided to write an extra large Christmas chapter. Merry Christmas, and as usual, enjoy!

* * *

" **You'll break me?"** the Darkin asked, regaining his voice. **"Isn't that quite optimistic for you to say, considering your… performance in our last little duel?"**

The only response the scythe received from its wielder was a deadly glare, filled with determination. Realizing Kayn wasn't messing around, Rhaast closed his eye, letting out an amused chuckle at his master's demeanor.

" **Alright, then."** The eye snapped open again, shining like a bright red beacon. Around them, the room was bathed in darkness once more, the Darkin's powers swallowing the precious little light present.

" _ **Time for round two."**_

Almost immediately, the telltale pain of Rhaast attempting to take control manifested in his left arm. Kayn's hands clenched the hilt of the scythe tightly, bracing himself against the power welling up from inside his weapon. The force pushing against his mind was just as strong as last time, suffering and madness rolling at him in burning waves of darkness out of the endless well that was Rhaast's being. But he stayed determined. He'd been caught off guard the first time, against Akali, but he wouldn't be a second time.

After all, there was nothing in the world that ate away at Kayn more than disappointing Zed. Pleasing his master was his life, to a certain extent. He looked up to him like a father, absorbed his teachings like a sponge, and performed insane feats just to make his master proud. So, after he'd swallowed his pride, he'd acted on Zed's advice on self-control, resolving to meditating every night to reinforce his mental fortifications. He would never let himself become vulnerable to Rhaast ever again, and so he prepared for any future attempts by the Darkin to surprise him.

Thankfully, his efforts seemed to have paid off. The scythe was shaking violently in his hands, but Kayn managed to push the rising darkness back down before it could properly take root in his body. Sweat was running down his forehead from the mental exertion already, matting his hair, but other than the burning in his Darkin-infested flesh, his body was still fully under his control.

Just like last time, Kayn soon lost his sense of time. Trapped somewhere in between his mind and body, as if in a trance, every second stretched out to what could've been a small eternity, but he kept pushing through, focused on only one thought: victory. He'd win, and Zed would be proud.

That thought had become his mantra, his point of focus through the waves of darkness hurling itself at him, his purpose being his anchor. He'd defeat the scythe. Zed would make him his successor. _Zed would be proud of him!_

Slowly but surely, the well of pain in his hands began to give way. Steadily, Kayn pushed the dark influence back into its container, one step at a time. Just as the end drew close however, Rhaast's power flared up one last time, a spike of pure dark shooting straight into Kayn's mind. The ninja's eyes widened, not expecting the last-ditch effort. _"No, I was so close!"_ He screamed in his head. _"I can't disappoint Zed again!"_

A wave of heavy nausea hit Kayn, who screwed his eyes shut against the pain, _until they were forced open to_ _see Zed, Zed lying on the ground, covered in blood, his blood everywhere and shrapnel all over his body. Shen was beside him, covered in blood too, and above them a smoking barrel, a laughing mask. Zed was dead. Zed was dead and he couldn't save him. He'd gone out there without Kayn and now he was dead and there was nothing Kayn could do- No, wait. This isn't real. This can't be real. Zed cannot die like this. This isn't real, this is Rhaast's work. I need wake up. I NEED. TO WAKE. UP!_

Kayn's eyes snapped open, and with a final shout of anger, Rhaast was shoved back down into the deep, black abyss that was his prison, ending their bout in the ninja's favor. **"You win this time…** _ **this time…**_ **"** He could hear the Darkin's voice faintly threaten in his head, before leaving him alone and in control once more.

The ninja took a few deep breaths to calm his racing heart. The taste of victory was quickly soured by how drained he felt. Shambling over to his wash-basin, he picked up a discarded cloth to wipe the sweat off his brow. Carelessly throwing it off to the side, Kayn stood there, hands resting on the basin, unsure of what to feel. He was more than proud of himself that he'd risen to Rhaast's in such an adequate fashion, and yet, that final vision left him shaky. The thought had been at the back of his mind since Zed had left, but now, as he readied himself for bed and stowed the weapon in the closet once more, it reared its ugly head.

Would Zed be alright? Kayn had been telling himself that nothing could stop the Master of Shadows, but Jhin was no ordinary foe. The insane artist had gone toe to toe with his master and his former brother turned enemy before... and as much as Kayn tried, he couldn't rid himself of the worry that something could have happened to Zed, and that he wasn't there to help. _Had Rhaast shown him… a vision of the future?_

 _No,_ he decided. Rhaast did not have such a power. He had just been trying to catch him off guard by playing on his fears, hadn't he? It was all a trick to mess with him, to make him weak. Zed was fine, he was with Shen, who Kayn had to admit was also a capable ninja. They could take Jhin together. _They were fine._

Yet, as the young ninja fell onto his bedding, entering a deep slumber, the thought still clung to his mind like a parasite.

 _What if something_ _ **did**_ _happen to Zed?_

* * *

The next morning, Kayn trudged through the doors of the dojo and out onto the grand stairs, tiredness etched into his features. The culprit for his embarrassing state of consciousness hung in his left hand, lazily staring at his wielder. Rhaast might've been successfully subdued for now, but the ninja felt extremely drained regardless. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Kayn realized that even if his mind was strong enough to resist, his body might fail him eventually.

He felt his mood sour again, so he cut that train of thought short. No need to make a fool of himself by being a moody teenager in front of his students. Stretching himself to get the exhaustion out of his bones, he recalled the events of the prior day. There was no denying it: he'd gone full berserk on his fellow ninjas, probably ruining any sort of respect they had for him in an instant. Curse this scythe and the way it messed with him!

To his surprise, as he entered the training court, he found his little group of ninjas waiting for him in a line. A closer look revealed the uneasy expressions on their faces. Kayn couldn't blame them, he _had_ threatened to murder one of them just yesterday.

" **You did** _ **what**_ **?"** Rhaast's voice piped up in his head once more.

"None of your damn business." Kayn snapped back.

The Darkin laughed. **"Oh, don't bother. I know already. Our little session yesterday showed me a lot of things spooking around in your head…"**

Kayn grit his teeth. It made sense for Rhaast to have picked up on his thoughts, considering he'd attempted to literally invade his mind. _That didn't mean Kayn particularly cared for it._

Shaking his head, the master-in-training cleared his throat, alerting the group that their lesson had begun.

"Good morning, everyone."

A tentative "Good morning, master." followed. From their tone and posture, Kayn could see his presence was causing them to be afraid, and for the first time in... forever really, he wasn't happy about instilling fear in someone.

"Guys, look. I'm sorry about yesterday." he began. "I didn't mean to lash out at all of you like that. I… lost control of my temper." Then, swallowing his ego, he added, in a subdued tone "I hope you can forgive me." He'd never apologized to anyone like that before. Something was definately wrong with him.

Once the words had left him, he noticed the change happening in the group. Some of them relaxed, while others were still visibly distrusting. A small commotion erupted amongst his students then, confusing Kayn. Whispers of "Its alright now" and "Go on" came from the line, until Tehr'li wrenched someone forward by his arm. From hiding behind his peers came Sho-Zuo, head lowered and wringing hands. Kayn was petrified, anger rushing up inside him again.

The acolyte opened his mouth to speak. However, before he was able to get out a single word, Kayn's vision went red, and in the blink of an eye, he had Rhaast pointed at his students' neck.

" _I told you I'd kill you if you showed your face again."_ The older ninja hissed out between clenched teeth. Sho-Zuo's eyes widened in terror. The scythe was curved around his throat, leaving him no escape. He was at his master's mercy.

Said master was having an internal struggle. His inner voice of reason pleaded with him: if he murdered a fellow student, surely Zed would cast Kayn out forever, or even kill him in retaliation. On the other hand, he'd warned the other man of the consequences, and yet he'd chosen to return. Kayn wanted to make him pay for daring to defy him like this.

" **Kill him. He deserves to die for his actions."** Rhaast whispered in his head.

" **Yes, give in. He called you a Noxian, remember? Punish him for his impudence, tear off his head!"**

Oh, how he wanted to. It would be so easy. A flick of his wrist, and everyone would know to never cross him again. Suddenly, the man before him began to blubber pathetically.

"P-Please, master. I'm sorry, I really am! I didn't know about what happened to you, and I'm sorry for insulting you like this!" When the scythes blade only pressed closer to his throat, he whimpered. " _Please don't kill me_."

The wretched display caused Kayn to falter. What was he doing? That was a member of his own order right there. Was he actually about to strike down one of his own allies, an Ionian, and risk everything he'd built up, just because his ego had been hurt? The hand holding the weapon began to tremble traitorously.

" **Do it!"**

His ego and his scythe both shouted at him to do it, and yet, he hesitated. Would killing Sho-Zuo achieve anything?

Rhaast chuckled darkly. **"I knew you couldn't do it. You're weak, just like your pitiful student here. And we all know what Zed thinks of the weak."**

 _"No."_ Kayn spoke to himself. _"Giving in to you now would be weakness. But not killing is strength too. I've been insulted, but am I really so weak, so petty, that I'd take another Ionian's life?"_

Sho-Zuo, unaware of his master's conflict, resigned himself to death. It was only fair, having overstepped his boundaries. When Kayn raised his arm to the side, preparing what looked like a lethal swing, he saw his death approaching fast, only to be surprised when his master instead lowered the scythe back to his side.

"That was a warning." Kayn spoke, and his students could hear the strain in his voice.

"Now, I will accept your apology, and believe that it was all a big misunderstanding. Do not cross me like that again however, or you _will_ regret it."

The acolyte in question only nodded fervently, mumbling out a few words of thanks before scrambling back into line, a humbled look on his face. His fellows graced him with looks of sympathy, seemingly happy that their comrade had laid his differences with their master aside.

Kayn sighed. That had been too close even for his liking. He'd always considered himself to be in control, and yet it was only by the smallest of margins that he'd managed to avoid splattering Sho-Zuo all over the ground, all for an insulted pride. He cleared his throat once more, trying to get back on track.

"Now that we have all the apologies out of the way, I'd like to introduce you to someone."

He held Rhaast out, handle placed on the ground, the blade up and turned to the side, allowing everyone to see the Darkin in his full glory. The other ninjas all recoiled subtly, a clammy wave of cold and evil sweeping over the court. Rhaast's glowing eye scanned the acolytes present, before he spoke to Kayn.

" **They are scared of me, and they don't even know it."**

Kayn just scoffed in response. He shifted his focused to his audience once more.

"This is Rhaast, the living weapon I retrieved from Noxus."

The students, initially petrified by the force the ancient weapon exuded, slowly regained their confidence when they witnessed how casually Kayn was handling it. Looks of curiosity appeared on their faces as their master spun his weapon around, shifting into a battle stance.

"It contains untold power of times long past, leaving me no choice but to try and gain it for our orders benefit. So, let me ask you: if I can manage fighting an ancient demon locked inside for his power, you should be capable of learning a few measly shadow techniques, don't you think?"

His crude attempt at a joke had its desired effect. Smiles appeared on his students faces, and a tentative chuckled came from here and there.

"Now, let's pick up where we left off last time, shall we?"

* * *

The rest of the week passed by almost like a breeze. Kayn could finally bring himself to enjoy the following days, and for the time being, he managed to escape the dark visions he'd had about Zed. Time was spent training with his small group of acolytes, furthering their combat and magic skills, while he also came to know them all on a more personal level.

That wasn't to say he'd disregarded them as people entirely the previous day. But Kayn had to admit, he'd always been a little centered on himself. Understandable of course, being the wielder of a Darkin weapon and the potential successor of the Shadow Order of course! At least, that's what he told himself. In comparison to that, his students had seemed… a little insignificant. Now that he had taken time to truly find out about them and the convictions they held, he was pleasantly surprised.

He'd spoken to Pei, the man from Pallas, who resented Ionia's leaders for not fighting back.

He got to know Zi Huan and Sai Zhin from Navori, two men who wanted to learn how to be strong fighters to protect their hometown.

Meeting with Kishon, from Zhyun, and his sister Luo, he learned they were orphaned by the war, and wanted to repay Zed for taking them in.

He was astonished at Kage, the son of a defected Kinkou, who wanted nothing more but to make his father proud, and at Lao Bai, a boy barely into adulthood who aspired to be the greatest ninja ever.

Akiko revealed to him she was born in the Order, and was devastated at having failed with the shadows for so long, as she felt she brought shame upon her family name.

And finally, Tehr'li and Sho-Zuo from Bahrl, who'd joined the Order a few months ago. Tehr'li had been training to be a fighter for the longest time of her life, explaining her prowess in combat, while Sho-Zuo (who'd taken to a far friendlier, if not slightly forced, manner with Kayn) had taught himself to fight after losing his parents, only stumbling over Zed's order recently by accident.

They may have each had their own special quirks, different preferences in weapons and fighting styles, different attitudes and outlooks on life, but in spite of all this, they shared the same zeal for the Order of the Shadows as Kayn, and the same level of devotion to helping lead Ionia into an era of supremacy. Before, he'd seen the whole ordeal as more of a burden, something forced on him by his master, but now he genuinely began enjoying the others company. Zed had been right in claiming that the training would be beneficial to him, Kayn had to admit somewhat begrudgingly.

This peace couldn't last however. One morning, Kayn found his prior fears to have become dire reality.

* * *

It was exactly one month after Zed's departure that day, and dark clouds blanketed the skies over the Kinkou monastery. The threat of rain hung in the air, and strong winds gusted through the treetops surrounding the monastery walls, but the shadow ninjas wouldn't be deterred by bad weather. In fact, spirits were never higher amongst Kayn's students.

Having practiced their shadow techniques all week, Kayn had them pitted against one another in one on one duels, to see how far they'd come. To call the fights all out mayhem would've been an understatement. The acolytes went at each other with extreme vigor, determined to prove themselves, and so the courtyard was filled with the sound of shouts, clashes of steel and various magic noises, mingling together into the familiar symphony of battle that Kayn knew and relished.

The young master-in-training stood over the spectacle, so enraptured in watching them that he missed the commotion erupting at the front doors of the monastery. He was thrown from his reverie rather violently when another ninja came to a stop beside him. Confused, he turned around, becoming aware of the shouts echoing across the courtyard in the process.

"What's going on?" Kayn inquired, bewildered.

"Master Zed has returned, and he's seriously injured."

Kayn's eyes widened, and he let out a shocked "What?!", louder than he'd wanted to. All around, the other ninjas were alerted that something was off by Kayn's demeanor, and when the young shadow ninja took off, sprinting towards the source of commotion, his students were barely able to keep up with him. " _This can't be happening."_ Kayn thought, panicking. Yet, when he arrived at the front gates, his fears were confirmed. Through the large reinforced gates slowly stumbled two figures: one of the master assassins, with Zed propped up on his shoulder. The sight horrified Kayn.

Zed's armor was, for the lack of a more elegant term, peppered with holes. The red cloth adorning him was shredded and soaked with his own blood, which also caked the metal plates that clung to him. His left leg limped noticably, seemingly having taken the most damage. Within seconds, the Orders medics had surrounded their master, placing him on makeshift bedding and beginning to remove his armor. Kayn sprinted over to his side, and upon seeing his student approach, the master of shadows waved for the medics to make way. His mask was off, and while Zed held a face of stoicism as usual, the underlying pain was still visible.

"Master! What… what happened to you?" the younger man inquired, slowly losing his composure as he witnessed the state of his master.

Zed winced as a medic felt his wounds, before responding through grit teeth. "We were… ambushed."

* * *

 _When news had reached the ninjas orders that the Golden Demon, the scourge of Zhyun, had been sighted once more, Shen and Zed had decided they needed to bring their A-game, taking along some of their most skilled warriors to assist them. Unfortunately for them, Jhin had been more than prepared._

 _Shen had brought along only one other Kinkou, and Zed had almost admonished him for daring to bring so little, when he'd remembered the state the Kinkou order was in. He hadn't exactly left many of them alive. So, very reluctantly, he'd decided to pass one of his three shadow assassins on to his former brother, and they decided to split in order to flank the insane artist. The clues they'd found indicated that the next "performance" was to happen during a play in a theater close to the Placidium of Navori, and the audacity of the madman made Zed's blood boil. With their last encounter in mind, the two ninjas masters resolved to searching the entire building. As much as Shen wanted to simply evacuate the building, he agreed with Zed that they needed to take the risk of people dying in order to not alert Jhin. They wouldn't get another chance like this.  
_

 _Then everything had proverbially gone down the drain. Four minutes into the beginning of the play, the shadow assassin protecting the auditorium found a flower-patterned grenade rolled between his feet. He had no time to react as the explosion launched his body over the railing and into the audience below. He was dead before he touched the ground. Panic immediately errupted amongst the spectators, and while the hall slowly emptied, Zed scanned the room for the culprit. His eyes soon came to rest on the figure standing where his comrade had been a moment ago. The dress-up was different, but there was no doubt on who it was. Jhin let out a haunting laugh, before running off._

 _Anger coursed through Zed's veins, and he took off after the artist, summoning his shadows to scale the auditorium. He heard Shen calling after him to wait, but he cared little for the Kinkou. That madman had killed one of his, and he'd make him pay._

 _Through winding corridors, he followed the trail of mad laughter, dodging one, two, three bullets, until their chase ended on the very rooftop of the theater. Huffing angrily, Zed found that he'd indeed cornered the artist. The only way down was the stairs behind him, and Shen was sure to have secured all other escapes._

 _"You're done, Jhin!" The master of shadows called out. "Now I will finish what Kusho couldn't all those years ago!"_

 _Jhin only chuckled, handling his walking cane. "Oh, poor Zed. You are but a shadow of Kusho's excellence. Do you think you can stop my performance? Come and get me then."_

 _With a cry of anger, Zed charged his arch-enemy, arm blades drawn and ready to tear into the man that had ruined his life. His face distorted in confusion as he saw Jhin ready his cane calmly, until he felt something trigger below his feet. The lotus traps! He'd forgotten about them! Before he could attempt to leave the lethal field of flowers, he felt powerful magic root him in place. The tip of Jhin's cane was smoking, having fired its snaring shot, leaving the Master of Shadows to die_

 _"Now that is what I want to see!" the madman taunted._

 _Unable to move, Zed cursed himself as the lethal traps began unfolding. What a fool he'd been to charge like this. "Almost like Kayn."_

 _A loud "NO!" sounded, and at the last second, Zed found himself shoved to the side by one of his subordinates. Then the explosion went off, and before his eyes, another shadow assassin was reduced to little more than bloody shreds. While most of the blast was caught by the body now on top of him, pain flared up still as some shrapnel found him as well, rendering his leg useless and penetrating his armor and flesh. Above him, he saw Jhin step up to his side, turning the mangled corpse over with his foot. The artist let out a grunt when he laid eyes on the mans face, and he began trembling in anger._

 _"No, no, this is wrong. It was supposed to have been the star, the excellent student! It would've been my best production yet! The master mourning his student, the two joined in death..." A boot encased in gold armor found Zed's side, before stepping on his chest. "You've ruined my art, twice now. I hate it when filth tarnishes my stories... ah, but the finale will be all the same, and I'll have my revenge." He spun his gun, and leveled it at Zed's head._

 _The ninjas eyes widened below his mask. The excellent student? Mourning? Revenge? It had never been about the theater, had it? No, Jhin had come for **them**. Another chuckle sounded from above. "You're waiting for your precious brother Shen to save you, are you not? I've redecorated the entire building. Your companions are all dead, as you will be."_

 _At the last moment, Zed realized that Jhin had slipped up. The artist had always kept his distance, but having his plan go awry seemed to have ruined his composure. He was in range, and Zed lashed out, toppling the leg keeping him in place. The fourth shot rung out, missing his head by only a handwidth, and before Jhin could recover, a shadowy mass extended from Zed's good leg and struck him back once more. With the madman distracted, a few sloppy hand gestures opened a portal into the shadows, and with the last of his strength, he pulled himself into it._

* * *

"That cursed bastard! He'd been expecting us all along. He was probably the one to give us the clue to finding him in the first place!"

Kayn's master groaned, and his uninjured hand lashed out to hit the unfortunate healer who'd removed a piece of shrapnel that had been overlooked. "Be careful! I don't need you to finish what that bastard started!" Kayn took note that his master's usual composure and eloquent way of speech were slipping. He couldn't blame him. Any lesser man would fall apart and die at this point, he was sure.

"You should've let me come with you. I could've hel-"

Against better judgement, Zed sat up, startling the surrounding ninjas, and he latched onto Kayn's arm with a fierce grip. Shadows welled up around him angrily, betraying his emotions.

"Jhin was expecting you to come, you idiot! He'd planned it all! You were supposed to die, and I was to survive long enough to mourn your demise. The only reason I got out was because he was too busy being upset to properly finish me." He let his hand fall down again, too exhausted to keep it up. "I couldn't lose you there, Kayn. Not to him."

The younger ninja stared at his master, eyes wide, finding no words to respond with. His master wasn't a man to form attachments like that. Of course, he'd been close to Zed, having been raised under his hand, but there was always a sort of professional distance between them, keeping him from ever seeing Zed as a true "father". What kind of a monster must Jhin be to elicit such sentimental responses from his master?

"Have you been following the task I set up for you?" Zed spoke up once more, surprising Kayn.

"Yes, of course, master. The students are performing ever so nicely."

His master closed his eyes. "Good. That's good." He sighed, and his limbs relaxed. Panic flooded through Kayn, flashes of his visions in front of his eyes, and he grabbed his master's hand. "Please don't die, master!" he called out, voice almost squeaking.

Zeds eyes opened again, and he shot his student a look of slight annoyance as he extricated his hand. "Do you really think… I'll kick the bucket from something like this? I ought to punish you for your lack of faith."

Kayn realized then the way he'd been acting, like a panicked child instead of a grown adult. What was wrong with him? His master was lying before him, suffering, and all he managed to do was embarrass him further? Yet, if only Zed knew.

He bowed his head. "I'm sorry, master. But things happened and… I had reasons to be afraid." _I've seen you die in my head too many times this week to not be scared.  
_

Zed's eyes narrowed. "A warrior of the Shadow Order is not afraid of anything, Kayn. Keep yourself together!"

His master's demeanor was returning to normal, which relieved Kayn immensely, and he gave a nod of understanding. One of the healers decided to speak up then.

"We've tended to the most grievous wounds, but we'd like to move you to the infirmary for proper treatment, master."

Zed nodded in approval, and the medics folded the sheet he was on into a makeshift gurney in order to properly carry him. Before they left, the Master of Shadows addressed his student one more time.

"Don't worry yourself, Kayn. I have survived worse. We'll talk more later."

With that, the group set into motion, leaving the young ninja behind to contemplate the situation. Around him, the returning shadow assassin was crowded by students and companions alike, and with a start, Kayn noticed the extent of the damage Jhin had dealt: of the three ninjas that had left with Zed, only one had returned.

He clenched his fists in anger. He'd been fooling around playing master here, while Zed had almost died, and he couldn't forgive himself, no matter what words of comfort or threat his master offered. Almost out of reflex, thoughts of vengeance welled up inside of him. The scythe at his side, having been eerily silent the entire time, chuckled, and he could feel Rhaast grow excited at his visions of revenge and bloodshed. No, this wasn't the way. He was about to make a rash decision again, which Zed had expressed his disapproval of numerous times now… with a great sigh, Kayn turned away from the gates and headed towards the infirmary.

As much as he wanted to tear the insane artist apart, he'd learned painfully that sometimes, revenge and bloodshed brought you nowhere.

* * *

Please rate both the character developement and edginess on a scale of one to ten Pyke ults.


	8. Dawn of a New Threat

Hey guys, Priest here.

This chapter took longer for two reasons: I reworked it two times before I got where I wanted to be, and University was being extremely time consuming again. I hope you can understand.  
On a more positive note: Welcome to the Noxus Arc! It's finally time for Kayn to not constantly fall on his face, so yay.  
Finally, I've already said this in a previous chapter, but I'm not sure if you've seen it: I rewrite older parts of the story on occasion, to improve the story and to fix any formal mistakes. So, while you're waiting for new chapters, reread the other chapters and maybe review whether anything has improved, or gotten worse perhaps. This goes especially for the chapters of the Akali Arc, which have seen some major changes. (Looking at you, guest. Your advice was taken to heart.)

I'll stop now and let you read the chapter kthnxbye.

* * *

The moment that Zed stumbled through the temple gates, the entire Order had gone into shock. After all, in the eyes of his followers, the Master of Shadows had always been larger than life: stoic, powerful, almost invincible, a perfect role model. Never before had their master, the driving force behind all their actions, been put out of commission like this, and cold despair spread amongst the assassins. There had been plenty of setbacks before, but for the first time, realization set in that even Zed was mortal.

The masters, who would've usually frowned upon such displays of weakness by their subordinates, were in secret equally devastated. Not by the situation of their master, whom they knew would surely recover, but by the losses incurred at the hands of Jhin. A single man, with barely any magic of his own, taking down three of their best?

The Order had been struck at its heart, and for the first time, it threatened to stagger.

Kayn couldn't care less about that right now, however. He'd elected to stand vigil in front of the wooden doors behind which his master was receiving surgery, unable to find peace of mind. Rhaast had deemed it fit to make a smart remark on the ninja's behavior, which had landed him another time-out in Kayn's closet.

With the minutes turning to hours, time was spent in sessions of aggressive pacing and agitating on the what-ifs that spooked around in his head. Occasionally, the voices of the healers would penetrate the barrier between rooms, but other than that, he had no indication of what was happening inside, and it drove him mad. Was everything going alright in there?

When he'd last inquired about his master's condition, the healer had told him it was a wonder Zed had managed to make it back to the monastery this quickly, considering the damage dealt to his body. Thankfully, the injuries hadn't turned out to be directly lethal, which allowed the Master of Shadows to stagger back home with a precarious mix of field treatments, shadow magic, and a will made of Ionian steel. Unfortunately, it wasn't certain it would stay that way, and if they didn't act fast, Zed might receive permanent damage.

Despite repeated assurances that they would be able to save their master, doubt still nagged at the edge of Kayn's mind. As much as he tried, he could not stop that slight quiver in his limbs that betrayed his inner turmoil, unable to beat down the thought that he was somehow at fault for his master's current state, and of what would come should Zed… no, he wouldn't even dare think of it.

Just when Kayn felt his last threads of patience begin to stretch into nothingness, the doors slowly opened, and a small group of healers exited. In their hands, they carried various metal bowls and trays full of bloodied cloths, surgical tools and utensils, and a small pile of offending metal pieces that had most likely been buried within Zed's flesh a few minutes prior. Magic still clung to them faintly, speaking of the destructive enchantments once within. Then, the head surgeon finally appeared, and Kayn fell upon him almost instantly.

"How is Zed? Will he be alright?" He approached the doctor, almost stumbling over his words.

The healer, clearly exhausted from practicing his craft, laid a hand on the younger man's shoulder in a comforting gesture. A smile appeared on his features, knowing well how impatient Kayn could get from having to patch him up various times over his years of training. With his elderly appearance and kind face, the man seemed almost out of place in the monastery, but the night-blue markings on his forehead betrayed the hidden skill and power he carried.

"Master Zed is fine, young warrior. We were able to mend all of his wounds, and with some time, his body will recover fully."

A heavy sigh escaped Kayn. His master would be alright. He needn't worry anymore.

"Can I go see him?" he inquired, hopeful. To his dismay, the doctor shook his head.

"Master Zed is still sedated, and he needs rest. His flesh will need time to heal properly." When he saw Kayn's expression waver with various emotions, he spoke up again, voice laced with sympathy. "Don't worry, he will send for you when he is ready to receive visitors."

Kayn wanted to protest, but in the end, he knew better. The man was right, Zed needed rest, and as much as he hated it, he'd wait a little longer, for his master's sake. Dragging his feet through the infirmary and onto the courtyard, he was startled to find most of the Order's acolytes camping outside the building, restless just like he'd been. News of the operation had passed like lightning through the monastery, it seemed. Kayn realized that Zed would probably not be happy at the current state of his followers.

One of his students, Kishon, broke away and rushed up to him, turmoil visible on his face. "Is master Zed alright?"

Silence swept over the gathered people as they awaited the news with baited breath. "In time, he will be back to full health, but he needs rest." Kayn echoed the doctor's words. A sigh of relief went through the crowd.

"What now?" asked Sho-Zuo, not in a mocking fashion, but instead sounding genuinely unsure. A similar notion went through the assembled acolytes, and suddenly, Kayn found all of them looking to him for guidance. He blinked in surprise, but caught himself just in time. He was Zed's heir, of course they'd ask him for guidance!

"We'll return to usual business, of course." Kayn replied, putting on the loudest, most authoritative tone he could muster. "Just because Zed isn't here doesn't mean we can slack off! Get back to work already!" Then he addressed his students in particular. "Especially you guys. Your exams are coming up after all!"

Yes, the exams, dreaded by most. It was custom for acolytes of his students rank to undergo tests of skill during the zenith of the year, meant to weed out the weak and determine who was ready to advance in rank and fight for the Order themselves. This was accomplished by sending them on difficult missions, still in their groups, but without a master to guide and baby them. Those who were unworthy would then most likely find their death, which Kayn had seen happen many times already. If by some miracle they survived failing their mission however, Zed would either expel them from the Order, or execute them if they'd been cowards.

Kayn's group was especially concerned about these upcoming exams, considering their lack of progress in the months before. With his help, they'd grown stronger, but spring was slowly coming to an end, and with summer's approach, the deadline came ever closer.

As everyone scrambled back to their tasks, Kayn and his group they made their way back to the training ground. The thought of the exams however stirred up a memory within Kayn that had faded into the background some time ago.

It had been during the summer of the previous year that he'd been sent to Noxus to retrieve the Darkin scythe, shortly after Jhin's escape. Now it was almost summer again… had an entire year already passed since then? In his mind, it felt almost like yesterday: beneath the shadow of the Noxtoraa, grasping Rhaast for the first time, sealing their fateful battle, and then facing off with Nakuri.

Nakuri…

* * *

 _His brother-in-arms had tried his best in combat, Kayn had to give him that, but he'd never been on his level, and certainly not now, when he wielded the Blade of Millenia. Nakuri laid before him on Noxian soil, two large gashes across his torso leaking his lifeblood, which also stained the scythe's blade. His face was contorted in pain and fear, but a strangely accusatory gaze burned in his eyes._

" _You left me no choice, brother." Kayn intoned, both to himself and to the other ninja currently in his dying throes below him. A spurt of blood erupted from Nakuri's mouth as he attempted to retort. Kayn waited for him to finish. He was in no hurry._

 _The fallen ninja spat out the blood pooling in his mouth, before finally managing to choke out a reply._

" _Neither… did you, Kayn."_

 _A sigh escaped his mouth. "Why would you attack me then? You knew that it would end like this."_

 _Nakuri attempted to prop himself up on his arm, but crashed back down onto the unforgiving ground, no strength left in his body. "I had to… if you aren't stopped, you will doom us all."_

" _You don't understand." Kayn exclaimed, exasperated by his fellow's apparent ignorance. This is the power that will lead me… no, the Order to greatness!"_

 _Another spurt of blood. The ninja could feel the life in his fallen brother stretch thinner by the second._

" _No… you don't understand… that power is beyond anything we have ever known…" A final shudder ran through Nakuri, and with an unearthly groan, life fled his flesh. His soul was finally surrendered to the Masks._

 _Kayn remained in place, his hair waving slightly in the wind as he regarded the scenery. The gray stone arch above him, once a monument to Noxian greatness, now served as a gravestone, its banners waving mournfully for the many Noxians lying dead below. Besides them now rested one of his own._

 _He would've preferred not having to slaughter a fellow Ionian, but it had to be done. Nakuri had been in his way, had been weak, and he was dealt with accordingly. And with what ease to boot! This weapon was meant for him, its power would be his!_

 _As he left the battlefield, he failed to see that the eye on the scythe had sprung open, until the hand holding the weapon began to burn. The Darkin had awoken once more._

* * *

Kayn wondered what would've been if he had listened to Nakuri back then. His brother-in-arms had turned out to be right in the end: Kayn had wholly underestimated the power of the Darkin's will, and he could've never, even in his wildest dreams, have imagined the duress that Rhaast would put him under. Then again, had he actually expected it to be easy?

On the other hand, would he have been better off destroying the scythe? No. No, that wouldn't have been an option. Destroying the weapon would've been the safe, and reasonable thing to do, but it would have led him into obscurity. Zed despised the meek, and shying away from such a task would've made him a failure, unworthy of his current position. Yes, the path to greatness was filled with hardship, but it was HIS path, the one he had chosen, and he was determined to see it through. At the very least, he owed it to Nakuri, for ending his life.

* * *

The next few days, Kayn stood witness as Zed wrangled the Order back into shape. He had returned to his post as head of the Order, if only from his bed in the infirmary, and when the council of masters had, rather reluctantly, informed him of the events after his return, he'd been outraged, just as Kayn had predicted. If his acolytes had no fighting spirit without him, they weren't worthy of the shadows!

Only after much convincing work from his subordinates did he excuse this show of weakness, if only because he realized he couldn't exactly slaughter half of his followers without destroying the Order. This didn't stop him from holding a large audience in the grand hall, where he'd admonished the entire Order in the fiercest display Kayn had seen in a long time. Though he was happy about standing besides his master, and not before him, he felt guilty on the inside, since he'd been just as weak.

Then, finally, Kayn had gotten his audience with his master. Overjoyed at the prospect, he was unprepared when the extent of Zed's injuries was revealed to him. His master was seated by a window, face stoic as his bandages were changed by a healer. Immediately, Kayn's eyes widened as they were inevitably drawn towards his masters unclothed torso, and his splinted leg. Without the protective cloths, Kayn was allowed a full view of the horrific wounds that adorned his masters flesh, expertly stitched yet still grisly.

The lack of the trademark armor combined with the condition of his body made Zed look so vulnerable that Kayn visibly grimaced. That was, until he saw the fire in his master's eyes as he was beckoned forward. However weak the Master of Shadows appeared, it was apparent that his spirit was still as strong as ever.

"Even the worst ailments of flesh cannot break a true ninja's spirit." Zed spoke, almost as if reading Kayn's thoughts. Then again, the younger ninja hadn't exactly kept a neutral expression after seeing his masters injuries. The allusion to his corrupted arm wasn't lost on him either.

After a moment of contemplation, Zed spoke once more. "Tell me then, Kayn: how did you fare while I was gone? Did you carry out my orders?"

His student nodded solemnly. "I did as you asked, master. With the help of the masters, the Order ran smoothly, leaving me plenty of time to teach the students my techniques. There were a few hitches here and there, but they will surely be ready in time." He purposely left out the part where he'd acted like a scared child when Zed had been gone. No need to bring that up again.

A raised eyebrow on Zed's part. "Hitches?"

"One of them deemed it acceptable to question and insult me, and I almost killed him in retaliation. I refrained from doing so however. I felt that wasn't what you would've wanted."

His master made a 'hmm' sort of noise, face unbetraying of any reaction. "And the Darkin? How are you faring on that front?"

He thought back to their previous confrontations. At the very end, he'd faltered, but he'd gotten much better at suppressing the ancient power.

"We fought once more, after you left. I have a long way to go, but I'd say I'm improving."

A slight smile lit up on Zed's face. "Then some good has come from all this. I am proud of your progress, Kayn."

At that moment, the healer decided to speak up. "We are done now, master. Please be careful, the wounds aren't fully healed yet." Zed nodded to him, dismissing the man with a wave of his hand, before turning back to Kayn.

"I sense that there is something else you want to say though. Speak openly, Kayn."

The younger ninja scratched his head sheepishly. He really couldn't keep anything from Zed, could he? Then again, he'd spent most of his life under Zed's watch. To a man as perceptive as him, Kayn must've been an open book.

"Yes, master. Forgive me, for I do enjoy the time spent with my students, but I long for a real challenge of my own once more. A 'real' mission, to improve my own skills. I need to train myself too if I want to be a worthy successor."

Ironically, it had been Rhaast's incessant whining for bloodshed that had drawn his attention to his own lack of exercise. It had been a long time since he'd been on a mission of his own (barring that weird encounter with Akali, that didn't count in his books), and he felt himself become rusty.

"I see." His master was stroking his chin, thinking on the matter. "That is true. I believe your work merits a reward. Once something appropriate turns up, I will send for you."

After a moment, Kayn realized something. "What of my students though? What will we do with them if I go on a mission?"

Zed laughed. "I'll take care of them."

"You will?" Kayn questioned, surprised.

"Well, I won't be able to just jump back into combat with these injuries. I will finish their training, and return to shape myself." That did make sense to Kayn. What better way to get back to health than by training?

Zed sighed then, shuffling off towards his bed. "Now, you're dismissed. I may not be weak like others, but even I need some rest to heal."

"Of course, master. Thank you for your time." Then, with a deep and grateful bow, he extricated himself respectfully.

* * *

And true to his promise, within a week, Zed sent for Kayn.

The sun burned down hot and bright onto the training court that day, leaving little shadow as Kayn began teaching his students his signature technique: the art of the Umbral Trespass. The ninja himself was currently invading the body of Sho-Zuo, who, over the past few weeks, had slowly turned into Kayn's guinea pig for demonstrations (though he would vehemently deny that it was for any specific reason).

Said guinea pig was currently clenching his teeth as shadows welled up around and inside of him. He'd been assured that he wouldn't be harmed, but now, with the feeling of being magically invaded himself, he wasn't so sure. Seeing his student's expression, Kayn chuckled, audible for everyone yet slightly distorted by the barrier between the worlds of light and shadow.

" _You see, this particular technique is extremely versatile. It allows for extreme mobility, and can be used offensively as well as for dodging attacks."_

Sho-Zuo stiffened as the shadows coming from his body slowly condensed around him, before Kayn burst from his back in a wave of darkness. The ninja stood there, wide eyed, before sucking in air with a start as his body realized it was, indeed, not dead. He received a mocking pat on the back.

"I told you you'd be fine."

Laughter erupted from the collected acolytes, and their center of attention grumbled at this apparent mistreatment. Giving them a moment to get it out of their system, Kayn continued his lecture.

"On a different note, this ability also allows for access to the victims mind. The shadows cut deep into the spirit, and while you are invading their bodies, you gain insight into their thoughts and memories."

Behind him, Sho-Zuo's eyes widened by just the tiniest margin. Had his master just…?

The train of though was interrupted as boots crunched on the ground, alerting the group to the messenger that had landed besides them.

"Master Kayn? Master Zed demands your presence in the council chamber this instant. He says the matter is of most vital concern." Kayn raised an eyebrow at the statement. Zed had promised him a mission, but this sounded far more serious than he'd expected. All the better.

"Class, you know the drill." He spoke to his acolytes. "Practice whatever you need until I return."

They nodded, used to their master having to leave for various duties, and within the second, he'd taken off towards his destination. He hadn't been to the council chamber too many times, but he knew where to go. The chamber was located somewhere above the grand hall, accessible through one of the many staircases, with windows out onto the main court. He maneuvered the building sovereignly, Rhaast resting loosely in his hand.

Throwing open the ornate door, he found his master, who was hunched over the map table, with many of the Order's masters surrounding him. The healing magic utilized by their Order coupled with his own powerful magic hastened his recovery, allowing him to leave the infirmary within two weeks' time. His face looked significantly less gaunt, and even dressed in simple black gowns, without his usual mask and weapons, he still exuded a feeling of control and power.

The young ninja cleared his throat, alerting the assembly to his presence. Zed beckoned him forwards, and he left the scythe at the door, respectfully approaching the meeting. Their faces were solemn, indicating the severity of whatever matter they had been discussing. "Your messenger made this sound very dramatic. I assume something bad has happened?" Kayn announced.

Zed nodded grimly. "While I was off dealing with… a certain problem, Noxus seems to have mobilized." He motioned for another to elaborate. Master Gho-Heng, a woman of thirty-odd years, with long, smooth black hair, turned the map of Ionia for Kayn to see. She was the head of the Order's spies, and her ornate tattoos spoke of her long, faithful service to Zed's cause. Usually staying in the background, she now spoke to him with a firm, commanding tone.

"My agents have reported that a small Noxian taskforce has landed on the south-most portion of Navori, and made camp in one of the Noxian strongholds." She pointed to the land to the west of Bahrl. The coast there was known for the chain of port-towns which formed one of Ionia's gates to the world, and used to be one of the bridgeheads for the Empire during the Ionian war. The fighting may have stopped for the moment, but this portion of the First Lands was still in Noxian hands, posing potential danger to their integrity.

"These aren't just any soldiers. These are of the Trifarian Legion. By estimate of our agents, we face least fifty of them, and there is strong evidence they are led by a powerful mage, Commander Rawthorn, known for his ruthless conquests in Shurima."

Kayn grimaced. Faint memories of his nightmare involving the Trifarians lingered in his mind. He knew of their reputation alright.

"What could warrant the elite warriors of Noxus Prime to come here in such numbers?" he shared his thoughts out loud.

Zed took the word again. "That is what we need discover, to see if this is another nefarious attempt to prepare invasion. You will infiltrate their base, find out their purpose, and if possible, kill Rawthorn. Do you consider yourself ready for this task?"

Now the tone of importance made sense. This wasn't an easy assignment, but it was exactly the sort of thing Kayn had been trained for. Worthy enemies, vital information, a chance to strike at Noxus? He could feel Rhaast mentally salivate at the opportunity as well, and Kayn himself wasn't too averted to shedding a little Noxian blood either.

"I'll do it. I assume I will be going alone?" he questioned.

"This is a mission of highest secrecy. We cannot allow them any chance to know that you are coming, and too much movement on our side might give us away. Noxus spies could be hiding anywhere." As an afterthought, Zed added: "You prefer going alone anyway, do you not?"

Kayn nodded affirmatively. He'd always been a loner of sorts, and others usually got in his way. _Like Nakuri._

"Then it is settled. You will leave as soon as possible, as we must find out their purpose before they can set any plans into. However, act careful. If it is sensibly impossible, do not attempt to fight. There's no point in killing Noxians if you don't return to supply us with intel." Kayn nodded again.

"Good. The masters will brief you on anything else you need to know for your mission. I will retire for now; my wounds still ache."

The assembled ninjas all bowed respectfully as their master strode by. Zed laid a hand on Kayn's shoulder in passing, before finally leaving the room. The young man nodded to himself in determination. He could do this alright.

* * *

There was a Pyke meme here but it's gone.


	9. The Man with the Dragon Spirit

Yeah, I'm still alive. I've been a bit lazy considering this story, but I rewrote this many times to get it where I want. Don't want to post subpar writing, ya know? I'm also not certain what chapter length is 'good', and how many scene jumps I can cram into one chapter, so I've decided to split this one up. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy todays menu. We have another badly written fighting sequence, cameos, lots of foreshadowing, and a JoJo reference. Enjoy!

* * *

 _Click. Clack. Click. Clack. Click. Clack._

 _The messenger's boots echoed rhythmically through the corridor as they fell on the herringbone floor._ _Perpetual_ _semi-darkness surrounded him, only broken by the occasional stream of moonlight coming in through a high window. His steps were steady and even, and the red cloak around his shoulders billowed confidently, but in secret, he felt his heartbeat begin to race._

 _The cause of this wasn't the eerie atmosphere of the mansion though. The darkness that hung over the mansion's halls, and the deafening silence amidst the noisy streets of the capital were frightening only to children perhaps, who still feared the monsters under their bed. He was a member of the Crimson Circle though, and even if there were any monsters, his hemomancy could deal with them easily. No, the reason for his anxiety lay at his very destination. Even after all these years of service, approaching his master never failed to instill a profound, unexplainable fear in him._

 _Within time, he arrived at the double doors to his master's study, the ornately carved wooden portal looming over him. With a deep breath to calm his nerves and steady his voice, he rapped thrice on the door, announcing his presence._

" _Forgive me for disturbing you, my liege, for I bring good news."_

 _A moment of tense silence passed, before a voice answered from behind the door. Even with the wooden barrier between them, it remained clear and powerful._

" _ **Good news you say? That does pique my curiosity. You may enter."**_

 _Hearing that suave voice sent a cold shiver down his spine, and he adjusted the cloak adorned with the Crimson Circle's brooch around his shoulders. Giving himself a final push, the messenger laid a hand on the golden handle and opened the door._

 _Immediately, the familiar sensation of cold, oppressive power came at him, like a winter wind blowing in his face, but he pushed through and closed the door behind him. Moonlight streamed in through the parted curtains, casting terrible shadows over the room. The walls were lined with countless high bookshelves, surrounding the grand, gilded armchair in the center, which stood rotated ever so slightly to the side._

 _Approaching carefully, the messenger could make out the figure seated in the armchair, reading a large tome by the light of a single candlestick. The dim light left the man's face surreally obscured, but his long, white hair still distinctly identified him. A single arm, dressed in elegant black and trimmed with red and gold extended out, and a hand, devoid of its usual golden claws, grasped a glass filled a suspicious red liquid._

 _This was the owner of the grand mansion, the lord of the Crimson Circle, his master._

 _Falling onto his knee, the messenger watched as the hand swirled the drink lazily, before taking a sip. An audible 'hmm' left the occupant of the armchair, before he placed the glass back down._

" _You spoke of good news, my friend." The man spoke, his voice filling the entire room, both impossibly airy and masculine at the same time. "I assume you come to report about Commander Rawthorn and his little excursion?"_

 _The messenger swallowed the forming lump in his throat. All this time, and he still didn't know exactly who… or_ _ **what**_ _this man was to cause such reaction in his followers. He probably never would._

" _Y-yes, my liege. Commander Rawthorn has successfully landed in Ionia, and has taken position in the Navori fortress."_

" _And has he prepared as I have instructed him?" his master inquired._

" _Yes, my liege. All is as you have commanded."_

 _The presence in the room changed, growing slightly more bearable._

" _Excellent." his master spoke, drawing out the word almost sensually. "That is indeed good news." A slight shuffle as a page was turned. "Do keep me updated regularly, will you, my friend?"_

" _Yes, my liege. O-of course, my liege." The servant affirmed._

" _Then you may leave." The finely dressed arm and hand waved at him dismissively, before returning to rest the tome. The messenger rose, before turning towards the door, not quite fleeing, but with haste in his step._

 _When the door clicked shut behind him, the man in the armchair allowed himself to chuckle in triumph, which soon grew into full blown laughter. Everything up until this point had transpired just as he'd designed, and it was time for him to rise to power once more. Swain, whom they had thought to be nothing but a simple pawn, had proven to be a significant obstacle to their rule, but that wouldn't matter soon. Once he had his hands on the power of the ancients, no-one, not even the Grand General with his demon of insight and his Trifarix, would be able to stand in their way._

* * *

The sun shone down bright on Kayn, a warm breeze tousling the bangs in his face as he rested upon a small, rocky outcrop. A new traveling cloak made of black fabric was slung around his shoulders, his old one now little more than a torn rag for cleaning floors, and a traveling satchel not unlike Akali's attached to his hip. Beside him rested his 'ever-faithful' companion, Rhaast, a half-lidded, bored expression on his eye.

A week and a half of travel lay behind them already, both on foot and hitching rides with traders and travelers. Normally, he didn't favor taking highly frequented roads and towns, as his status as Zed's apprentice and, more importantly, his monstrous appearance usually earned him… unfavorable reactions. Normally, he also wouldn't attempt to travel to the southern coast alone, so exceptions could be made. With his corrupted flesh bandaged, people would usually accept his excuse of hiding horrible scars (which wasn't technically a lie) and not question him further. His threatening aura probably helped avert further inquiry.

Sitting cross-legged, hunched over a map, he let his eyes wander over the scenery for a moment. Before him, large fields of Navorian rice were being tended to by farmers, some working the ground with the help of large, bizarre animals native to the region. Behind the fields stood a large, bustling town, the ninjas current destination. **"Don't get me wrong, I'm always up for bloodshed."** The scythe spoke up then, shaking Kayn from his reverie. **"But why exactly do we have to travel across the entire country to do it? There's plenty of people to murder just in front of your doorstep."**

Kayn ignored the Darkin's incessant whining. He had other things to focus on. Tracing his route with a small piece of coal, he tried to figure out his path on the map.

" _If my map is correct, the town ahead is a crossroad of trading routes. I'll replenish my resources and stay the night at an inn, and tomorrow, I will see if I can hitch a ride. Someone ought to be bound for the south."_ He spared a glance at his weapon.

"Patience, Rhaast. You will have your bloodshed. _Now stop bothering me while I get us to the bloodshed_." His companion only snorted dismissively, but let the ninja be. Eventually, with a sigh, the scythe, apparently bored out of its mind, closed its eye.

" _Perfect."_ Kayn thought. Whenever Rhaast decided to sleep, or whatever it was Darkin did when they went dormant in their prisons, the ninja had some precious time to train his new skill, unseen by the enemy he carried by his side always.

Checking whether the Darkin was actually out cold one more time, the ninja extricated a small, ornate scroll from the bottom of his traveling satchel, made from a black material almost like paper, but far less fragile. Faint traces of shadow magic emanated from the scroll, the nature around him almost recoiling from the dark force. Unaffected, Kayn swiftly undid the sealing ribbon and unrolled the paper, revealing blood red Ionian characters. The document was old, containing many symbols and an older style of language that he wasn't entirely familiar with, but he understood enough.

 _The Art of Shrouding the Mind in Shadow._

His master had entrusted him with this before he had departed, claiming it would be part of his training while he was abroad. A non-combat-oriented shadow technique, this one acted almost as an opposite to the Umbral Trespass: instead of extracting memories from the mind, the shadows would be used to seal them instead.

" _If you are to wage war on the plain of the mind, then you must be equipped to fight back."_ , as Zed had put it.

When he'd inquired, with just the tiniest bit of hurt, why Zed had only now revealed this most useful tool to him, his master had told him that it was a highly advanced technique, usually reserved for more experienced masters due to its nature. Weaker minds were easily consumed just by basic contact with the shadow magic, but letting the shadows enter your mind and memories on such a deep level posed danger even to experienced shadow users.

Zed deemed him capable, however, and considering the extent of Rhaast's attacks during the past few months, his student couldn't be happier: the Darkin using his own thoughts and fears against him was something he could most definitely go without. Never mind that it was almost impossible to plot against Rhaast, as any plan he could ever come up with would be revealed to the scythe the moment he touched the weapon.

With that in mind, the young ninja settled into his meditative seat, slowly summoning the shadows within him.

" _Kill the mind, build the mind, free the mind."_

* * *

The traveling duo's wish for excitement would soon be granted, in a way they would later realize neither of them had wished for. Three days had passed since they'd passed through the farming town, and the ninja had taken to following along the great river of Navori to take them south.

Now wandering through the colorful and lush countryside of the First Lands, lost deep in thought, Kayn was surprised when he came upon a man, sitting in deep meditation upon a large rock by the roadside. His posture was relaxed, but firm, seemingly unaffected by the uneven surface and the jagged protrusions he was sitting on, and his haircut indicated that he was likely a monk.

There was something else that made the young ninja pause though. An aura of power surrounded the man, something ancient and powerful, but Kayn could not discern its true nature, and the entire situation set off far too many red flags in his mind.

A red cloth was wrapped around the man's eyes, seemingly leaving him blind. That was alright by Kayn. He did not feel like picking a battle with this monk, who most likely wasn't a friend of the shadow order. He summoned the shadows, phasing his feet into the ground to muffled his steps.

"Hold up, whoever passes."

Kayn's froze immediately, halfway through the clearing. The man had just spoken. Did he know the ninja was present? All muscles tensed up in his body, and his breathing slowed, waiting to see if it had been a fluke. The man spoke again.

"Steps concealed in dark magic passing me by. A pulse of terrible power. Don't be mistaken, I can sense your presence."

Kayn brow furrowed in confusion. His cover had actually been blown? Who was this man? Now there was no point in wasting more strength. "How's this possible?" Kayn asked out loud. "My technique is perfect. Nobody should be capable of detecting me."

The monk chuckled, though audibly unamused. "Even without my eyesight, your shadow magic is unmistakable to my senses."

The monk jumped off his perch, and landed before him, perfectly balanced. Kayn took a cautious step backwards, eyes narrowed. "Who are you, and what do you want?" he spat, not quite hostile, but certainly with a warning tone.

"My name is Lee Sin, and you are one of Zed's acolytes." It was a statement, not a question.

Kayn was fully in battle mode now. Usually, when someone asked him a question like this, they were preparing to attack him soon afterwards. Rhaast was still stowed away in the shadows, but the ninja was ready to summon him at a moment's notice.

"So?" He took another step back.

The monk tilted his head, almost innocently. "What do you actually know of the shadow arts that you use? Has Zed told you about their history, about their true nature?"

Kayn scoffed. He'd was well aware of his magic's nature, had been told countless times by lesser people of how Zed's shadow techniques were 'forbidden and evil'. How simple-minded. "I am indeed aware of the 'corruptive influence' that the shadows carry. But only the weak are affected by such grievances, and I am most certainly not weak."

Contemplating that statement for a moment, the monk finally replied. "You know not the horrors that your magic has unleashed in the ages past. Your magic threatens the very balance of our world and the spirit world."

" _Balance is weakness."_ Kayn spat. So, this man was another one of the fools who followed the notion of 'balance' then.

Lee Sin spoke once more, unfazed by the ninjas threat. "The spirit world is already threatened by your kind, who use the corruptive power meant to be sealed away forever. But some time ago, screams of fear began echoing amongst the spirits, of an evil far older and more powerful that was brought to Ionia by a servant of the shadows." He turned his head towards Kayn, and the ninja could feel the monks penetrating gaze even through the cloth.

In the calmest tone imaginable, Lee Sin delivered his accusation. "You are that servant. The spirits have guided me here, to protect Ionia, so I offer you two choices: surrender the demon weapon for destruction, and renounce your magic, or find death by my hand."

Deafening silence hung over the small clearing. But, in Kayn's mind, there was no question, he would not give up his achievements because of some self-declared dispenser of justice. He took a step back, and summoned Rhaast into his hand.

"I've come too far. This power will bring our nation to greatness, and I will not throw it away!"

As the Darkin scythe came into view, casting its red glare at Lee Sin, the monk's brow furrowed in grim determination. "So, this is the great demon the spirits spoke of. Such evil should've never reached out lands." He sighed. "Prepare yourself."

With inhuman speed, he dashed forward, a fist flying at Kayn's face. Already prepared for such a response, he phased backwards with the shadows. Kayn grimaced as he felt the aura of power around the monk grow stronger now. There was a reason he had tried to avoid this fight after all.

" _What are the damn odds that someone like him finds me out here?!"_

Kayn kept his distance. He could not afford to get close to such a powerful foe. Thankfully, with his scythe, he had the greater reach, allowing him to play safe as he attempted to find an opening. Unfortunately, his opponent had picked up on his plan.

Magic flames welled up around Lee Sin's fist, and he struck the ground with a great cry. The earth cracked beneath his hand, and a shockwave travelled outwards, throwing the ninja off balance. The monk charged forward, and Kayn caught himself just in time to arc his scythe forward in an attempt to behead his foe. Ducking under the lethal swing, Lee Sin brought out his leg to throw Kayn off his feet, only to find his target dissolve into shadow and re-emerge a few meters away.

The ninja huffed, and went on the offensive, powerful swings delivered in an attempt to cleave the monk, but to no avail: his opponent would nimbly weave in between his strikes, and so he was forced to withdraw before the monk could attack again.

Kayn could feel the power within his foe grow ever stronger, and he knew he had to defeat him fast. Unfortunately, he couldn't dodge forever, and though he jumped back as fast as he could, the incoming roundhouse kick still connected.

The ninja's eyes bulged, the wind knocked out of his lungs, and he was flung onto the ground, tumbling over the dirt. It felt like some giant armored beast had crashed into him full speed, pain resonated throughout his body, and he groaned. The kick had not been delivered straight, skewed by Kayn's evasion, but he realized: if Lee Sin had struck him full force, square in his chest, he'd have probably shattered his ribs and crushed his organs. He had to play this smart now.

Suppressing his pain as best as he could, the ninja jumped to his feet, before he launched himself into the surrounding terrain with his Shadow Step.

Lee immediately tilted his head back, almost as if he was sniffing the air.

"You are hiding within the darkness once more. But it will not avail you."

Kayn raised an eyebrow at that, for despite his words, the monk seemed incapable of exactly pinpointing his location as he shifted throughout the rocky terrain. With the monks back turned, he saw his opening, and he launched himself from the shadows, a malicious grin on his face, blade arcing towards his foe.

At the very last second, Lee jumped to the side, but he wasn't fast enough to dodge fully either, and a large bloody gash was torn into his chest. Kayn smirked as he landed.

"How does the sting of the Darkin blade taste, master monk?" he asked mockingly. Lee held a hand to the wound, his brow furrowed in a frown. Then he held his hand out, rubbing some of the blood between his fingers before clenching them into a fist.

"You are one of the first of my foes to ever manage to harm me. For that, I will give you the honor of making your death quick."

Powerful, fiery magic welled up around the monk, before he threw out his hand with a shrill cry. Confused at first, Kayn felt a strange, invisibly force collide with his chest, a discordant sound reverberating in his ears and throughout his body, as if struck by a hundred gongs. Then his eyes widened when his foe launched himself with great force, flying at him with his foot extended in a high kick, surrounded by fire. He had nowhere to dodge, leaving him with only one option: the ninja dissolved into shadows and entered the monks wound with the Umbral Trespass.

 _Delving into the monk's mind with the shadows however revealed… nothing. Instead of witnessing thoughts and memories like usual, the invader found a quiet, empty space, surrounded by strong, solid barriers. Lee Sin's mental control was perfect, keeping all thoughts, memories and emotions under lock. Even repeated prodding with the shadows yielded no results. Kayn was impressed, but also shocked as to how this monk could achieve such a level of mental prowess. The reason for this was soon revealed as the ninja witnessed the center of the monk's mind-space, where the figure of a giant Ionian dragon, composed entirely of bright magic flames, towered in the darkness._

 _The ninja's metaphysical eyes widened as he realized that this was the presence he had felt all along: an ancient and powerful spirit resided within this man. It fueled the monks fighting, but Kayn could see that the raging power was barely contained and controlled. Only the strongest and worthiest of minds could ever hope to channel such a force… the similarities to himself were startling. But where he and Rhaast fought openly, this was different: this mind wasn't trying to chain down the spirit inside… no, they were co-existing. His awe at this turned to dread when he noticed the fiery dragon's attention was on him now. The mind around him convulsed in response, before a thought, less a command and more a suggestion, rung out in the vast space._

 _Expel the intruder._

 _The dragon's fire bristled, before it reared up with a savage roar. The invading shadows were burned into nothing as the magic fire grew ever brighter, before the dragon lunged at Kayn. He attempted to wrench himself free, but the magic kept him locked in place, and could only stare in horror as the fire engulfed him._

With a scream of excruciating pain, the young shadow warrior was violently ejected from his targets body in a fiery explosion. The flames consumed the shadows wreathing, leaving Kayn writhing on the ground. Rhaast's eye widened: he couldn't see what happened while his host hid inside the shadows, only partially phased in, hovering over the monk, but he was ejected just as violently by the spirits power. He wasn't exactly concerned with the lesser god harming himself, but his future vessel was being broken, and that upset the Darkin greatly.

Lee Sin, surrounded by the remains of the fire he had summoned, was equally devastated, having summoned a great fraction of the dragon's power to exorcise himself. He staggered, one step, and then two, before collapsing, fully exhausted. The two combatants lay there for a few tense moments, before Kayn managed to get to his feet. The monk had to be finished off before he could recover, but the ninja panicked: the expulsion had exhausted most of his shadow magic, and Rhaast was out of reach. Before him, Lee Sin was beginning to stir already.

Kayn hated himself for even having to consider this, but escape was his only current option.

" **Retreat?!"** Rhaast cried in his mind, angered by the idea. He'd been surprisingly silent throughout the entire fight.

" _Do not question me, or my motives!"_ the ninja replied through grit teeth, using the last of his power to wrench Rhaast towards him. With a final look back, he broke out into a staggering run.

* * *

Only when he was fully certain he was far outside the monk's range, did Kayn allow himself to crash, the pain which he had kept under control with his shadow magic finally catching up with him.

" _So, word has gotten out about my ownership of the Darkin. But for a guy like that to find me... that was way too close."_ Kayn mused as he tended to his wounds. The kick had left a nasty bruise, but thankfully, under closer inspection, his insides were still intact, and his bones remained in one piece. The forceful expulsion had left minor burns, but nothing too serious. He'd probably recover in time, but it wouldn't be pleasant.

His thoughts wandered to what he'd seen inside the monk's mind. Despite being upset at the attempted murder of his person, Kayn couldn't help but be impressed by the mental resistance he'd encountered. Such control was what he himself strove for, and seeing that it was possible to resist ancient forces like this steeled his own resolve to defeat Rhaast.

" **You should be more careful."** The weapon in question decided to pipe up then. Kayn scoffed at that in disbelief.

"What's this?" He responded in a mocking tone. " _You_ , of all people, telling _me_ to be careful? I think that Lee Sin must've caused more damage than I realized, because I'm beginning to hear things."

Rhaast grumbled. **"Look, I will not allow you to cheat yourself out of our battle by getting yourself killed like an idiot! I want that flesh of yours intact, and so do you!"**

Kayn sighed. "You could've stopped at the part where you pretended to care, and we would've both been happier."

The two weapons of murder sat there for a few moments, before the scythe continued in a snarky tone. **"At the very least, I'm glad you didn't decide to sweet-talk that monk before you engaged in battle."**

Kayn grit his teeth, visibly annoyed at the reference. Rhaast wouldn't let that die, would he? It had been that one time

Silence ensued, leaving the ninja to his thoughts again. He'd have his body checked by a healer before continuing his journey, but there was no-one for him to turn to. This would delay him just bit, but he'd be fine by the time he arrived at the coast. He clenched his fist.

"At the very least, we had something to make our roadtrip more exciting, eh, Rhaast?" The Darkin, even lacking a nose, snorted audibly.

 _"Let's just hope we don't run into any other unwanted surprises."_ Kayn thought to himself.

The great forces of the universe would remain ignorant of his request however, as he'd soon find out.

* * *

God I hope anyone actually reads this - ThePriestSpy, 2019


	10. Questions, Answers, and a Surprise

Boi here it is. I'm really happy with all the positive feedback and the new readers, but don't hesitate to point out any problems you see. I might suffer from intense emotional agony in the worst cases (why am I like this) but the story will improve, I promise.

There was one thing I wanted to elaborate on even though nobody probably cares for it, but as a Lorekeeper Rank 3, I want to explain. I repeatedly use the idea of Kayn seeing the thoughts of his foes when he uses the Umbral Trespass. I based this on a description from the "Blade of Millenia" story, where he sees through Rhaast's eyes for a moment when he Ults a possessed Noxian. I might've read too much into that, but when the shadow magic allows for shadow clones, teleportation, soul harvesting/manipulation and the creation of literal nightmare demons (cough Nocturne), then I don't see it as too much of a stretch to use Kayn's ult in that fashion. I might edit it out later in Araki style though who knows.

Enough of that though, please enjoy the chapter.

* * *

That night, beneath a cloudless, starry sky, Kayn sat awake, staring up at the many tiny lights shining above him. After escaping from Lee Sin, he'd dragged himself across the countryside until he found a nice, elevated cave on a hillside, far away from his would-be assassin. Well hidden from human eyes and any other creature that might find him, the ninja made his camp for the day. The weather was nice and warm, requiring no fire that would give him away, and there were plenty of medicinal herbs to be found in the surrounding forest.

That evening, with his wounds treated and Rhaast asleep, he had some time to meditate, to train his mind, and to think. Feeling the cold sensation of the shadows meshing with his mind wash over himself, the ninja was reminded of Lee Sin's statements about his magic. In the heat of the moment, he'd given little consideration to the monk's words, but now he, he had time to reflect.

Yes, Zed had indeed told him of the history of the shadow arts, and the stories of the last known shadow mages from the Rune War in particular came to Kayn's mind. With their magic, these interlopers took dominion over the spirit world, wreaking havoc on the mortal world. They had been powerful, but then they lost themselves in their power, their minds and souls twisted by the very shadows they had used. They brought great ruin, not only to Ionia, but to all of Runeterra, creating horrible demonic creatures in the process.

Kayn absentmindedly rubbed the tattoos on his right forearm. He didn't need stories to know the effect of the shadow magic, he was subject to them himself! He remembered the day he himself received the shadows, the cold, vicious sensation of something dark and powerful becoming part of him. With his iron will, he resisted the whispers of the shadows, but there had been other acolytes who… changed, after they were initiated. Zed was quick to cull them, ensuring that his disciples would never fall the same way the ancients did. The Order of Shadows didn't exactly care for spiritual balance, but they weren't exactly keen on destroying Ionia either.

But Kayn had no intention of letting himself be corrupted by anything, not by the shadows, and certainly not by Rhaast. In his mind was only one burning thought: to bend all that opposed him to his will, and to rule supreme, as Zed's heir and the future Master of Shadows. The shadows were but another tool to him, and with every day, every kill, every technique he mastered, he could feel the darkness bow to his will more and more. With a certain irony, Kayn noted that his experience with the shadow's corruption could have very well made him more resistant to Rhaast… but he would never really know.

With that though, the ninja finally settled down for the night, a grim smile on his face. Lee Sin, Rhaast, whatever would stand in his way, he would grow stronger and crush it beneath his heel. That was his resolve.

* * *

An odd dozen days later, the first tenuous stretch of Kayn's journey came to an end as he reached the final town on his path to stand on Ionian ground, Noxian-occupied territory now within arm's reach. The damage done by the Noxian invasion was still abundantly visible all around, with patches of land still bare and filled with remains of siege and battle. Nature was far less lush and colorful overall than it had been up in the north, and while the land was slowly mending its wounds, there would be permanent scars.

As he entered the town, Kayn noted with a degree of satisfaction that, at least, the people here seemed to not be as delusional and irrationally pacifistic as they were in the core of the country. Guards were positioned throughout the streets, and the town borders were fortified with stone weave-work. Life still bustled around the ninja in that tranquil Ionian way, but he could feel that being this close to the enemy had changed these peoples outlook on life.

" **Such a lovely, peaceful town. I've lost count of how many of those I razed back in the day."** Rhaast mused in Kayn's head, twisted nostalgia apparent in his voice.

" _Treasure those memories, because you're not going to raze any towns any time soon."_ The ninja responded, less than excited at the thought of Rhaast wreaking havoc on Ionian towns. He knew that the scythe was crass and indiscriminate in its bloodlust, but certain things just made Kayn wish the weapon had a neck he could strangle.

" **Speaking of razing"** the Darkin continued, his voice shifting ever so slowly into hostility, **"I've refrained from causing you trouble because you promised me Noxians to kill.** **But slowly, I'm beginning to believe you lied to me, so let me warn you: If you don't deliver, I** _ **will**_ **have my bloodshed** _ **where I please."**_

Kayn's eye twitched, but he kept his cool. With the fakest tone of hurt he could muster, he replied. _"I extend to you the courtesy of accompanying me on this journey, as my personal murder tool nonetheless, and this is how you repay me?"_ Then his voice dropped to a low, icy whisper, equally hostile.

" _I am the only reason you get to murder anything. I could simply let you go, and it would be all over for you."_

" **Ha!"** , Rhaast scoffed. **"And you would lose everything you worked for."**

" _Would I now?"_ Kayn hissed. _"True, I would have to go without your power, but I would live as I did before. You on the other hand, I might drop you into a deep ravine, or sink you in the ocean, leaving you trapped forever in your immortal cage. In that case, which one of us do you think would lose more?"_

Silence ensued. Kayn could feel Rhaast growling and seething with a whole bunch of emotions, primarily anger and indignation, but at the very back, there was just the tiniest speck of shock. The ninja gave a savage smile.

"Good, now then, let us continue our preparations."

The ninja then checked his traveling pack. Once inside Noxian territory, there was no certainty of knowing if, or when he'd be able to procure food, so he'd have to stock up here. On that thought, he also had to figure out how he would actually pass through enemy territory. The Noxians were wary of those coming in from the free Ionian lands, and while the oppressed people of the coast might offer him shelter, he couldn't take too many risks. He'd cross that bridge when he got there, and entered the marketplace. It was a busy market day, but unlike in Noxus or Demacia, the wide space and peaceful demeanor of the people led to a tranquil, organized atmosphere. Just the way Kayn liked it, being able to keep everything in his sight and under his control.

The marketplace itself was a large circular clearing amidst the terrain and the houses, dominated by a large, carefully crafted pedestal of stone, upon which stood a statue of most impressive design. Upon close inspection, the monument was revealed to be molded out of the black metal used in the weapons and armor of the Noxian invaders. Kayn realized the townspeople had collected the offensive remains and repurposed them in a show of defiance. He approved.

The figure itself was crafted most skillfully, with high attention to detail. It displayed a young woman, with a stoic, but beautiful face and long hair cascading from her head. She was adorned in dancer's robes and armor, and behind her, like a dangerous halo, ornate blades were suspended by metal ribbons flowing from her armor. Her posture proud, the woman held aloft in her right hand a severed Noxian arm.

'In memory of the Blade Dancer's stand at the Placidium. For the First Lands!' the inscription below read.

Kayn had heard of the Blade Dancer before. She was the figurehead of the Ionian resistance, and had struck a decisive victory against Noxus that would be the beginning to the end of the invasion. Many towns and groups across the country idolized her, and the people here in this frontier town seemed especially devoted. From the amount of weaponry collected for the statue, it seemed the inhabitants of this town had been particularly zealous followers of her cause.

The ninja turned his attention away from the monument and onto the scenery around him. The entire plaza was filled with market stalls, with great colorful sheets of cloth and fabric offering shade and protection to the merchants below. Standing by tables, sitting on carpets or even selling straight out of their bags, traders would offer their wares, ranging from food, to clothing, to medicines and rare valuables.

Beside the center pedestal, a small group of musicians were seated on upturned barrels, playing an upbeat tune. In their midst stood a bird-like Vastayan girl, who performed an Ionian folk song in a beautiful, melodic voice. Kayn eyed her distrustfully. Was she one of the Lothlan rebels? It wasn't likely, but with the recent raids on the Order's outposts costing them valuable manpower, tensions were high.

Checking if his money was safely stowed away one last time, Kayn dove into the fray. His current traveling pack was extremely handy, but it was fairly limited in its capacity, so for his first move, he purchased a leather traveling satchel. After that came all the necessities, food and medical supplies. While he was perusing the many stalls and exhibitions, he received a few strange looks for his dark, mysterious appearance, but most merchants eased up after seeing his bandages, assuming he was simply another victim of the invasion. If only they knew.

Along the way, Kayn even found a rather large weapon smithy off in a secluded and fireproof part of the town. The building was new, and the industrial forging tools stood out like a sore thumb amongst the peaceful, natural surroundings. What surprised him more was the amount of people present, inspecting swords, pikes, and various other implements of war. Those weren't soldiers or members of a dojo, but peasants, travelers, city folk. Down here, close to the remnants of their invaders, the people seemed far more prepared for war. Just the way Kayn liked it.

Once he was done with his shopping spree, all of his purchases stowed away safely in the new bag, the ninja was then confronted a new problem: his stomach growled, audibly demanding attention. Kayn hummed He was used to a life of little luxury, but once in a while, even a hardened assassin like him had a need for comfort. Hunting for his own food out in the wild was fun on the occasion, but even he sometimes missed the comfort of the monastery. _"Might as well make plans over some real food."_

A few minutes later, the ninja found himself in front of a large building just off to the side of the central plaza. An ancient white tree grew out of a slanted, circular roof, giving a name to the inn below: the Kabonoki-Tree Inn, which was written in cursive upon the sign mounted above the door. Animated chatter and the smell of food wafted out from inside, so Kayn pushed the doors open to welcome himself in.

The center of the room was, of course, dominated by the thick trunk of the Kabonoki tree, its silvery-white bark bright and barely touched by tools. The room was littered with tables, and off to the right was the counter and the kitchen. Kayn let his eyes wander over the many people present, gathering intel to gain control of the situation. Among the crowd, a trio of armored men stuck out immediately, but they were drinking and laughed merrily as they played some sort of board game. Another vastaya, wildcat-like with silver fur sat at the counter, conversing with the barkeep. He was dressed like a warrior, but did not seem particularly hostile.

Only when he stepped further into the inn did Kayn noticed another figure out of the corner of his eye, hidden from those who came in through the front door by the tree in the center. A man with short, black hair was conversing with another man, obviously not entirely sober anymore, as evidenced from his slightly louder, slurred speech. Something about that person drew the ninja's attention, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. He made a mental note of it anyway, and turned to look for a seat.

The tables were all occupied, and Kayn would've been disheartened if not for a man vacating a spot at the counter. Unfortunately, that seat was right beside the vastaya. Kayn was less than happy, rather vary of Ionia's chimeric people, but he had little choice, and shuffled into the chair. Unfortunately for him, the feline man decided his new companion was intriguing enough to warrant conversation.

"So, you come in here all shrouded and lookin' dangerous. Who might you be?" the vastaya growled at him gruffly, looking up from his ale. Kayn grit his teeth.

"That's none of your business, _vastaya._ " He pronounced the last word like some sort of curse. The man's expression soured in return, and a hint of teeth appeared on his muzzle. "You got a problem, _stranger_?"

Kayn turned to face him, exposing his bandaged hand. "These are wounds from the Noxian invasion… but you wouldn't know any of that, would you, _vastaya_?" The underlying accusation was barely hidden. In response, the feline vastaya jammed a dagger into the table, barely missing the ninjas hand. The hand holding the knife was missing two fingers.

"I'll have you know I bled for Ionia just like you did _._ " Kayn didn't flinch at the blade rammed beside his own digits (his Darkin flesh might've actually been resistant enough to withstand the attack), but inside, he recoiled just a bit.

"And to be fair, you're sounding a little bit Noxian there yourself with that accent, so who's saying you ain't a spy yourself?" The vastaya threatened, although not sounding particularly serious while wrenching his knife free.

"I cut all my ties to the Empire long ago." Kayn growled in response.

Before any further fights could potentially erupt, the barkeep, a woman with tied-up black hair, sauntered over to the two. "Now, I will not have any of that in my house. Behave yourself, or I'll kick you out!" She had that air of authority around her that left no room for disagreement, the sort that only women could have. Both of them backed down.

"What can I get for you, stranger?" she asked Kayn.

"What's on the menu?" he responded, while the vastaya returned to his ale, grumbling.

The barkeep eyed him too. The bandages must have peaked her curiosity too, and a half-response already grew in his throat, but then she simply handed him a menu. He gave it a once over, before handing it back.

"The beef and potato stew please."

She nodded. "It'll be there in a few minutes."

She left for the kitchen, and he turned to the feline again. The bandages perfectly obscured the corrupted side of his face, but left him partially blinded on that side, forcing him to turn his head entirely to face his neighbor. While the relations between Ionia's chimeric inhabitants and the Order of Shadows were less than amiable, he felt some twinge of regret for treating a warrior like that. That, and he felt even a halfhearted apology would spare him a knife to the back.

"Look, what I-" before he could continue, the cat-man cut him off.

"You humans are always so fast to judge, never takin' the time to consider some of us are on your side." Silence on the ninja's side. "Now I ain't a guy who keeps grudges, but you might wanna watch what you throw around, before someone else guts you for that comment." He emptied his mug before slamming it on the counter, leaving in that same instance. Kayn's eyes followed his retreating form until the door closed.

 _Huh._

The barkeep returned to clean up the leftover mug, shooting the hooded ninja a distasteful look. "Your food will be here soon." He nodded, before she left him to his thoughts.

 _I still sound that Noxian, after all this time? He thought I might be a spy._ There was that nagging feeling at the back of his mind again, of being so close to a solution for his confusion… then his eyes shot open in realization, and he turned towards the man in the corner. That was what had been off him! Kayn hadn't noticed it at first, but now it was clear as day: the man had a Noxian accent. It was faint, and buried under what seemed like months of training, enough to fool most, but Kayn could point out the tell-tale signs of Noxian influence in the man's voice now, his guise slipping in his intoxicated state. His eyes narrowed. A Noxian spy, perhaps even a warmason. He'd been looking for one of those for some time now, the Order had lots of questions after all. Time to find some answers.

The man, as if sensing he was being examined, looked up, and within a found a single, cold eye glaring at him threateningly from across the room, sending him a silent message. _I know who you are._ His eyes widened just a fraction in apparent recognition, and after a few seconds, he rose to his feet, swaying slightly, heading for the door. Kayn smiled viciously. The fear of being discovered made people irrational, caused them to act rashly or become even more guarded, which was all the more noticeable. This particular target had cracked under barely any pressure, and now, all he needed to do was goad the man into isolation, where he could strike.

The barkeep arrived in that second, carrying Kayn's food.

"Keep that stew warm for me please." The ninja told the woman, handing her a few extra coins. "There's something I need to take care of. I won't be long."

* * *

Following his target wasn't particularly hard. The man tried to blend into the crowd as best as he could, but his impatient steps and his glances around himself weren't lost on Kayn's trained eyes. The ninja chuckled. Fear was a powerful tool, and the shadow ninja was a master at utilizing it. To the fearful, every shadow seemed ten times as dark and threatening, covering Kayn even more effectively. He was back in his element, hounding his prey. Seeing another mans resolve crumble never got old.

Up ahead, his mark took a sharp turn to the right, where a slanted road led to many small residences. There were significantly less people here to blend in with, but the houses cast wonderful shadows for Kayn to hide in while he stalked his prey.

 _So, he's fleeing home? He thinks he will be safe there? What a fool._ Kayn chuckled, weaving through the darkness.

" **What are you up to now?"** a familiar voice broke the silence in the ninjas mind.

" _I've found us a Noxian."_ He replied, and felt the Darkin almost lighten up immediately.

" **Finally, some good news. My blade had already begun to grow dull from how little use it sees. You do intend to kill him I hope."**

" _Once he's exhausted his purpose, of course."_ Rhaast chuckled darkly.

Up ahead, the man finally stopped before a small house, giving the area one last once over before unlocking the door, the sound of a lock falling back into place sounding shortly afterwards. Kayn approached the building silently, before stopping under an opened window. The sound of rustling could be heard, and a few silent words spoken in slurred speech drifted outside.

"…impossible…Rawthorn said they wouldn't be here this soon…"

So, he was a spy. Kayn hadn't been entirely sure in the beginning, on the off chance it was just another defector from the empire like him, who felt threatened by what could've been a bloodhound of Noxus, but now he had all the proof he needed. Time to bring his miserable undercover adventure to an end.

* * *

The man named Ungard, attempting to shake off his drunken stupor, finally found the blade he'd been given for dire emergencies. He'd been foolish enough to let the hooded figure from the inn follow him home, but he was sure he'd be killed wherever he went, so the destruction of all traces of Noxian activity was paramount. With his weapon now at his side, he gave up the maps and orders he'd been supplied to his furnace.

While the parchment went up in flames, he cursed himself. He'd done so well to integrate himself into this community, and the one time he dropped his guard and enjoyed himself at the tavern, some enemy had to find him while he was drunk. And he'd been stupid enough to fall for the intimidation! His life was forfeit for his failure, but at least he could make up for it by leaving no evidence.

Once the evidence was naught but ash, he turned for the door. Perhaps, he could escape before his pursuer located him. That plan was cut short as he witnessed the shadows in the room growing unnaturally large and dark, his sobriety returning instantly when a human shape melded from the darkness creeping up his wall. He drew his sword, but it was little use. The shadow launched himself forward, thrusting his knee into Ungards gut, knocking the air out of him. Another strike disarmed him, and within the blink of an eye, he found his own blade across his throat, held from behind by the assassin.

"Make a single loud sound, and you'll suffer a most painful demise." His assailant spoke, subdued but firmly. "Now, you're a spy of Noxus, aren't you?" The Noxians eyes widened just a fraction, but he tried to keep his cool. Perhaps there was a chance he could weasel out of this

"What?" He protested between grit teeth, feigning innocence. "I have no idea what you are talking about." The blade pushed harder against his neck.

"Do not lie to me, filth!" the shadow behind him spoke, unrelenting. "You might fool lesser men with your act, but I hear the filthy Noxian language in your voice even now. So, I ask you again: are you a spy of Noxus?"

He nodded then, seeing no point in keeping up the charade. One of those shadow-ninja madmen had caught him, and now he was as good as dead anyway.

"Now tell me, what is Rawthorn planning? And why has he brought an entire squadron of Trifarians with him?" The assassin interrogated, but Ungard only scoffed, sounding offended.

"Did you really think I would just give away the Empires secrets like that?" As a response, the blade was pressed into his neck, drawing a sliver of blood.

"I might consider leaving you alive if you give me the information out of your own volition."

A dark chuckle escaped the Noxians throat. "You won't. And even then, I wouldn't tell you, for if you let me go, Noxus will finish me instead. Though I will give you this: even we warmasons don't know why Commander Rawthorn came here with the Trifarians, so there's no use in torturing me either."

He heard the assassin let out a thoughtful 'hm', before he responded.

"Only partially correct. You are right, that kind of mercy would be too good for Noxian scum like you. But…" The blade left Ungards throat, only to be slashed across his legs, and he crumpled to the ground, immobilized.

"I have other way to get what I want."

Above him, shadows began wreathing the assassin, and with a maniacal laugh, he dissolved into the inky mass, before diving straight at Ungard. He braced himself, prepared for any kind of pain, only to find the darkness flowing into the wounds on his legs. The man was gone, and the shadows now flowed around the Noxians body instead.

He couldn't properly put a word to the sensation he was feeling. His body felt that something was wrong with it, that there was another presence within him now that didn't belong there, but it wasn't painful. No, it was more like being bathed in icy water, extremely uncomfortable, but nothing more. _What was the assassin doing to him?_

A few seconds passed, leaving him confused and stunned. Then the shadows began collecting at his wounds again, and he could feel pressure build in his flesh. He couldn't so much as move a muscle before the darkness broke free from his injured legs, tearing the flesh into shreds as the assassin reformed out of the darkness. Pain flooded his entire being, but he only clenched his teeth. Noxians died with dignity.

"Interesting." The shadow warrior spoke. "The things your frail mind revealed to me… You've been of great help. Sadly, your usefulness has now come to an end."

Ungard looked up at his murderer, only to see him drop the sword. The Noxian was visibly confused. What was he doing? Then the assassin summoned a portal of shadows, and from it, he pulled a thing of nightmares.

The Noxian had always prided himself in the strength of his people, their will to stare into the face of death with defiance, and how he'd lived by that principle his entire life. Even when he'd been hounded from the inn, his fear wasn't for his life, but for the potential discovery of the vital documents, and even with that man seemingly inside his flesh, he'd kept his cool. But now, as that demonic red eye on the scythe stared down at him, burning into his soul, he felt himself shake with uncontrollable terror and fear. But even if he had wanted to scream in that moment, which a true Noxian would've never done, the weapons inhuman presence choked any potential sound out of his throat.

Then the assassin raised the weapon above his head, almost casually smiling as he prepared for the killing blow.

"I promised you bloodshed, Rhaast. I have delivered."

* * *

The next day, Kayn hit the road once more.

Rhaast was successfully appeased by the impromptu offering, and the shadow of the man's soul, however flimsy, now fueled Kayn's power. He hadn't managed to scare the Noxian spy into openly telling him what he needed to know, but the flashes of thoughts and memories he'd witnessed told their story quite vividly, even without words.

 _A fleet of ships under Noxian sails, landing on the Ionian shore._

 _A colossal fortress, growing ever larger._

 _A vast, faceless army, preparing for war._

 _A man, with bright blonde hair, presiding above a legion of elite soldiers._

Kayn found the Order's worst fears confirmed. If the presence of warmasons was any indicator, Rawthorn was indeed sent to prepare for another invasion of Ionia. It made sense that he'd begin with the Navori fortress, which was one of the primary centers of Noxian control in the southern Ionian lands, and a vital harbor for any sort of troop transportation.

To his disdain, the visions still didn't explain the presence of Trifarian soldiers. Why would Noxus send some of their best soldiers to Ionia? What task could be important enough to warrant such a move? It would be a challenge, but he would uncover this mystery at all cost.

After another three days' worth of traveling, his destination finally lay before him. In the distance, the Ionian land finally gave way to the ocean, a large harbor serving as the seam where the equally vast city met the shoreline. Beside the city, raised on one of the many geological structures unique to Ionia, stood the great Noxian stronghold of Navori, just like he'd seen in the visions.

The structure itself was a grotesque mockery of Ionian architecture. The base of the fortress was made with the signature Ionian stone- and wood weaving, artistic yet subdued in their splendor. The actual fortress however was built in that oppressive Noxian style of architecture, sprouting from the lower foundation like a cancerous growth. Crushing the Ionian identity beneath dark stone and red banners, the colossus was an open reminder of Noxus presence in Ionia, and the sign of the Empires claim of dominance over these lands. But something was off.

Kayn noticed the large scaffolds all over the masonry, and his fears were confirmed when he realized what was happening: the fortress was _growing._ Large ships anchored in the harbor brought material and personnel into Ionia, and Kayn noted with distaste the large masses of people working on the new parts of the Noxian stronghold.

Following the path, Kayn approached the city gates, which were another distinct part of Noxian culture that was foreign to Ionia. Until the Noxians had come, the people of the First Lands felt they had no need for such battlements, leaving many of their towns unprotected against the onslaught. The ninja noted the many soldiers around the gates and on the walls. The signs of war were clear.

Once Kayn drew close, a guard stepped forward to meet him.

"Halt! What is your purpose here?" he spoke in the common tongue, his accent far heavier than that of the spy.

"I wish to enter the city of course." Kayn responded, earning him an angry glare.

"Watch your tone when you speak to those in charge around here, boy." The guard growled, and his comrades didn't look any happier. "Nobody enters this city without our permission, and shady scum like you certainly has no place here. Now scram."

The ninja frowned at that. If it were up to him, he'd just murder the entire posse of Noxians and enter the city like that, but he was on a stealth mission. That, and he was in broad daylight, in the heart of Noxian land. One wrong move, and he'd have a small army after him. He knew he was stronger than them individually, but at some point, sheer numbers would drag him down.

Kayn sighed. He'd have to sneak in later.

The sound of clopping hooves approached from behind, and Kayn turned to face the new arrival. A sturdy looking horse was pulling a carriage stocked with containers of various sized. The coachman, an older man with thinning dark hair and distinct Ionian features, mustered the situation, and for a second, his eyes met Kayn's. Then the carriage came to a halt, and the man called out.

"It's alright, this one's with me."

The ninja blinked in surprise, but knew better to react openly before he could assess the situation. The guards were equally perplexed.

"He is? And who would you be then?" the soldier from before questioned.

"I am but a simple merchant who wished to sell his wares here in Teko'an. I sent my young assistant here ahead, but he's always been a bit rash." The coachman explained.

The guard looked unconvinced. "What's with the weird bandages then? That doesn't look like no merchant to me."

Kayn took the initiate and answered himself. As much as he didn't trust the entire thing right now, he had to grasp the opportunity. "Ugly scars, from… the war."

The Noxians looked at each other, mocking sneers appearing on their faces. "Ah, looks like this one learned his lesson from opposing Noxus!" One of them cheered, before their captain stepped forward. "Alright, men, check the wagon!"

Two of his men stepped forward and went to examine the wares loaded on the back of the cart. Meanwhile, the coachman dismounted, and headed over towards Kayn. Once they were beside one another, he spoke to the stranger in a subdued voice, not loud enough to be understood over the noise of the guards clamoring over the cart, but not too quiet to seem suspicious.

"Why are you doing this? I'm a complete stranger to you." the ninja questioned.

"We can't talk about this here right now." The man returned in an equally quiet voice. "Just know that I have my reasons, and that I am not your enemy." Kayn gave a surprised blink, before nodding. In that moment, the Noxians finished their inspection, drawing their attention.

"It's clear, captain. Only wares and tools." One of the guards spoke.

"Good. Then you may enter. Glory to Noxus!" The captain shouted, waving them through. Kayn mounted the back of the cart, seating himself among the containers, while the coachman ushered the horses through the giant gateway and into the streets of Teko'an.

As the cart rattled along the roads of the city, Kayn observed the many signs of Noxian occupation surrounding him. Soldiers, flags, banners, all visible reminders of a nation that had left him for dead, and that even now threatened the integrity of his new home. Beyond the obvious influences however lay something else that caused strongly mixed reactions within Kayn. As he beheld the Ionian's living here, he was angry at them for allowing this to happen, for not having the will to cast aside useless traditions and taking up arms. On the other hand, he saw the glints of suppressed rebellion within their eyes, eliciting a feeling of duty, the resolve to drive Noxus away and free his people from oppression.

Kayn was drawn from his musings as the carriage passed under another, more Ionian arch, and into a courtyard surrounded by buildings, where they finally came to a halt.

"We've arrived." the coachman called out, and Kayn jumped off his seat, attempting to get himself into an advantageous position should this prove to be a trap. The other man soon dismounted himself, but far slower, as if laden with age. The ninja approached carefully.

"Now that we are away from prying ears, I would like to have your answer to my question. What do you have to gain from helping a random stranger?"

He formulated his inquiry politely enough, but he allowed a hint of distrust enter his voice, to display that he was not to be trifled with. In response, the old man laughed.

"That's fair enough, I suppose. It really isn't a common thing to do, is it?" His face, still in a jovial expression, hardened just enough for Kayn to see a fire burning in the man's eyes. He was definitely hiding something.

"It's simple really. You looked dangerous, like someone who wants to cause trouble in this city, but if you'd been one of theirs, the Noxians wouldn't have held you up like that. So, I helped you in. Does that answer your question?"

Kayn narrowed his eyes.

"Partially. I am curious though. What makes you think that I 'want to cause trouble', that I'm 'dangerous'? I carry no weapons. I could be just another traveler."

The threatening undertone remained, and when Kayn did not visibly back down, the old man sighed, rubbing his eyes with his fingertips.

"Fine then. I suppose there is no point in pretending anymore. From the moment I saw you, I knew what you were, follower of Zed."


	11. A Shadow in the Fortress of Light Redux

Don't leave just yet. This isn't just a repost, but an actual rewrite.

On a different note first off, there is no real excuse for procrastinating for this long. I was simply too lazy to write. The next chapter will be up shortly, along with a major announcement. Until then, please enjoy the (at least, in my opinion) improved chapter 11. Any and all discrepancies to the prior chapters is intended and will be explained soon.

* * *

" _Boy, it's been a long time since, but I still know a warrior when I see one."_

As much as he was trained to be stone-faced and unflinching killer, Kayn recoiled slightly at those words. His suspicions had been right, there was more to this person after all.

"How did you come to that conclusion?" he asked, audibly suspicious.

An amused snort was returned. "Your eyes hold the look that speaks of battle and death. It is one I will never be able to forget. But don't you worry yourself."

The man straightened himself a fraction, as if to emphasize his point.

"If you fight against Noxus, then it doesn't matter who you are, you are my ally, and therefore, I will help you in any way I can."

And yet, even in the face of the earlier accusation, Kayn could not detect any insincerity or subterfuge in the man's voice, as much as he tried. In fact, his renewed promise of assistance in the face of Noxus was a breath of relieve Kayn had been seeking, and while the sheer coincidence of meeting someone like this had him on edge, the ninja was growing more willing to trust this man.

"Very well, you've found me out." He spoke, and could not help but let a little bit of the sass that he had kept under wraps leak through. "Though I am a ninja, to be precise."

The man's face lit up just a fraction at having guessed correctly, before scratching his stubbled chin in thought. "A ninja? I think I've heard of those before… ah yes. You're one of the Kinkou, aren't you?"

Kayn almost scoffed out loud, his pride taking a rather noteworthy blow. Did he _look_ like a Kinkou to him? But it wasn't the time nor the place to be insulted. His outrage quickly gave way to new insight. Owing to the occupation, the man must've not heard of the coup yet, and of the resulting exile of the Kinkou Order. If he was to reveal himself, perhaps he would be spared the hostilities he had come to expect from most he met.

"Close, but not quite. But it isn't safe to talk about, not out here in the open at least."

A knowing look was shot his way, but before the other man could open his mouth to speak again, he was cut off by a woman exiting the building besides them. Brown hair tied in a bun topped an Ionian face in its late twenties, but in the place of a dress and whatever other fancies women normally indulged in, Kayn found her dressed in workers clothes and with dirt staining her hands.

"Ah, Jiji, what a pleasant surprise!" she greeted the coachman. Then she climbed the carriage, viewing the goods on top. "Oh, and you've gotten us all of the wares on time for once. That's a cause for celebration." Grabbing the first crate, she jumped off, before her eyes fell onto Kayn. "Oh, who's this? And why didn't you tell me you were bringing guests?"

The man, apparently named Jiji (thought Kayn suspected it might have been more of a nickname), deflated slightly at the comments thrown at him by the newcomer.

"He's another Ionian in need that I found on the way to the city, Ohna." He spoke, before cracking a smile. "But of course, I didn't tell you in advance, just to spite you. I'm evil like that."

The woman shot him a poisonous look, but the corners of her mouth twitched upwards as well. Then she turned to Kayn again.

"So, do you have a name, mysterious stranger?" she questioned, mocking, but not mean-spirited.

"Kayn. Shieda Kayn."

"Very well, Kayn. I was interrupting something between the two of you, wasn't I? Well, I guess I'll leave you two to your devices then. There is still work to be done." With a grin, she made off into a small warehouse carrying one of the heavy crates. Jiji rubbed his temples as she left earshot.

"Alright, follow me. We can talk in private indoors."

The man headed for the main building lining the courtyard, motioning for Kayn to follow. Seeing their interactions, he couldn't sense any kind of malicious intent from these people, who seemed proudly Ionian through and through. With a savage grin, he noted they didn't pose any danger to him physically anyway, so he headed inside.

Following Jiji through the building, Kayn noticed a strong hobble in the man's steps that became apparent only now, when he was actually walking. It was an observation anyone could make, but the ninja was trained to search for weaknesses on instinct, and such a thing was immediately of interest. He filed it away for later as the two arrived at their destination.

"Come in, please." Jiji told him, before sliding open a door into a small room. Roughly square in shape, the floor was covered by the sort of mats you'd usually find in a dojo, and opposite the entrance sat a small shrine. In the center of the shrine, a few small items of prayer were placed on top of a wooden altar, decorated with ribbons of cloth hung on the wall. Off to the side was a half-made bedstead, and it became apparent this was the man's room.

Jiji lowered himself to sit in what could pass as a sloppy meditative seat, not unlike one Kayn would use himself. The ninja remained standing a few steps behind.

"Now, you said you were 'not quite a Kinkou'. What exactly do you mean?"

A proud grin graced Kayn's face. It was foolish to speak so openly, but he could not pass up on a chance to boast about his organization.

"I am indeed a ninja, but not of the Kinkou. I come from the Order of Shadow."

The seated man pursed his lips. "Ah, I've heard rumors about them here and there, but reliable information is hard to come by these days, you know?" he spoke, confirming Kayn's theory. "They say you are a band of warriors, that you want to unite all of Ionia's strength to repel the Noxians."

Kayn nodded pointedly. "We fight Noxus wherever we can, to finally free our nation from tyranny." Then, he remembered the remark made earlier.

"You said you could 'tell a warrior when you see one.' You fought in the war, didn't you?"

Jiji laughed dryly. "Of course, I did. How do you think this happened?" He pulled up the right leg of his trousers, and Kayn could finally see where the limp from earlier had come from: the man's leg was severed just above the knee, where it was replaced by a crude prosthesis made of wood and leather. Obscured by leg wrappings and clothing, it was well hidden from curious eyes.

"Let me show you something." The man spoke again, before slowly prying open the floor covering in front of him. Kayn raised his eyebrow at the spectacle, before he realized the purpose of the endeavor. From under the mat came a hidden hatch, sealing a secret compartment that contained a long wooden box. Jiji gently removed its cover, before plucking two wakizashi from within. They were beautiful weapons, with ribbons of white cloth crisscrossing over a black ray-skin grip, leading into a silver handguard in the shape of a coiled serpent.

Kayn tensed up slightly as the other man carefully drew one of the blades, inspecting the well-cared-for steel.

"I suppose you've never heard of the White Serpent Valley's Sword School?"

Kayn shook his head no.

"I figured as much. We were never a prestigious organization like the Kinkou or the eastern monasteries, and the masters certainly avoided becoming one. _'Be like the valley serpent, hidden from the common eye.'_ They'd say. No wonder we fell into obscurity." The other man harrumphed.

"They always held onto their tenets of restraint, even as Noxus encroached deeply onto our soil. But our country was in danger, so, when they were unwilling, we disciples took up our blades and headed to the shore on our own accord. But not even our ancient arts could stem the hordes of Noxus… we learned that lesson soon enough."

His hand clamped onto the stump of his leg, rubbing it as if he was reliving the loss of the appendage.

"It had been Ohna who found me that day, you know? I had been left to die in a ditch by that bastard who took my leg, and it was only by sheer luck she found me. When I had nothing left, she gave me refuge in her home."

He shook his head with a sigh.

"But enough of my sob story. Tell me of the free lands. Has the resistance finally united? Are we still fighting back?" he inquired.

Kayn shook his head, and the elder warriors face dropped into a frown.

"After the Noxians withdrew, the resistance splintered. There are those like us, the Order, who want to see Ionia brought to unity, to greatness, but many others foolishly want to go back to the way we were before. They hold fast to their ideas of balance, even in the face of destruction"

"I had feared as much. Then there is no hope of liberation yet." He slammed his hand on the ground.

"Damn it! The empire holds these lands in an iron grasp, crushing our people and bleeding us dry, and our great leaders are probably still more concerned with their own peace of mind. If I… If I could, I'd kill that filthy Steward Khorak myself…" he trailed off, his voice slowly descending from strong and rough to utterly defeated.

That resonated with Kayn. Few things drew his ire more him than those who refused to see reason in spite of the horrible destruction that their country had faced at the hands of Noxus, and finding someone that shared his sentiments was always refreshing. It was then he realized he could truly trust this man, having connected to him on a common level. The ninja felt compelled to offer a gesture of support, but his body failed him. It simply wasn't like him to comfort people, and so he remained with his hands at his side.

"I know the feeling all too well. That is why I am here." He let his words speak instead.

He received a look of almost disbelieving wonder in return.

"Huh?"

"I was sent here to deal with a certain Noxian leader, Commander Rawthorn. Do you know of him?"

"That bastard?" Jiji spat. "Yes. He arrived here a while ago, with a troop of those high-ranking legionaries accompanying him. I have no idea as to what he wants here, but since his arrival, the Noxians have doubled down on their cruelty."

A few seconds of silence passed, before his head whipped around to face Kayn properly. "You're out… to kill him, aren't you?"

A vicious smile. "Precisely."

Jiji huffed, like he'd heard a bad joke. "That's impossible to achieve. He barely ever leaves that fortress, and if he does, he's protected by those legionaries. You will never even reach him."

The smile remained in place, growing even wider, more confident. "You don't know me. Those walls cannot stop me. I will be as one with the darkness, and strike him where he least expects it. This is my sort of work."

Wide eyes stared at the ninja, searching his face as if waiting for him to reveal it had all been a joke. When nothing came, the corner of Jijis mouth rose into an equally mad, lopsided grin.

"Alright then." He huffed, sounding equally bemused and exasperated. "If you are dead set on this, allow me to ask something of you. If you're going in there to kill that bastard Rawthorn, deal with the Steward as well."

"Well…" Kayn begun, but hesitated. Strictly speaking, Zed had only ordered him to deal with Rawthorn. Yet, as he mulled it over, it was a primetime chance. How many times would someone else infiltrate the fortress, other than him? Yes, if he was going to strike Noxus, he would strike properly. Rawthorn was his priority, but was there any harm in letting another dirty Noxian bite the dust along with him? It was two birds with one stone.

"Alright. If the chance arises, I shall deal with him as well."

His vow was met with another huff. "Very well then, I will not stop you. Just remember, if you make it out of there somehow, you can come to us for need assistance, or for a hideaway. Our doors are open for you."

Kayn nodded. "I'll keep it in mind."

* * *

For the following three days, Kayn shadowed and studied the fortress and all of its aspects down to its tiniest detail. Potential entry and exit points, guard placements and shifts, what sort people traversed its fortified gates, everything that could be considered important was carefully examined.

On the evening of the fourth day, Kayn finally set his plan into motion. Now, others would've shirked at the thought of striking a hornet's nest like this one, but then again, they weren't Shieda Kayn, greatest of Zed's students, who relished in the audacity of attempting such insane undertakings.

All that remained was to find a way to actually enter the fortress. As much as he would like to think himself invincible, Kayn knew his limit came somewhere just short of an entire Noxian garrison. This would have to be his greatest feat of stealth yet. Thankfully, his observations had yielded results. Every day at sunrise and sundown, the guard shift was changed, with the tired soldiers returning to their barracks within the fortress. It easy enough to lay an ambush on them along the road, and with practiced ease, Kayn dove into the shadow of an unsuspecting soldier, simply letting himself be carried through the iron gates and into the midst of the enemy.

Remaining within the realm of shadows for such lengths of time took a toll on the ninja, but he endured the strain. Waiting for an opportune moment, the ninja finally broke away from his unwitting ride, begrudgingly leaving the man alive. Leaving a mess now would ruin everything, as much as Rhaast was whining for blood. At the very least, the tight structure of Noxian architecture allowed Kayn to easily traverse the soldier's quarters.

Past the lower level of the garrison, a second wall protected the stairs leading up to the main entrance. Calling upon his shadow magic once more, Kayn found this one unprotected, and phased into the masonry. Exiting on top, expertly hidden from prying eyes, he surveyed the situation. He could not waltz in through the front door, but at the end of the parapet, there was a side entrance, probably meant for guards. Between him and the door however stood two watchful sentinels, slowly patrolling the wall. To the experienced assassin, this was no problem.

' _Others pride themselves, saying they turn invisible in the darkness. What folly. I AM the darkness'_

Behind their backs and through their shadows, remaining entirely unseen, the ninja crossed the final stretch of outside wall, and phased through the door.

Now that he was in, all that remained was to find out where he needed to go. It was a given that the higher-ups would be, well higher up, but Kayn didn't exactly have the freedom to knock on every door and ask if his targets were waiting inside to be murdered. Yet, as he traversed the hallways, using the darkness of the stone corridors to hide from passing officials and soldiers, an opportunity presented itself.

Lying hidden within the shadows, Kayn found the next person to pass him to be a young man, barely older than Kayn, clearly Ionian. From his clothing, adorned with red and black, the ninja inferred he acted as some sort of servant or messenger for the Noxians, but it wasn't readily apparent whether he was a slave or a traitor. He would find out soon enough.

The moment the man passed, Kayn reached out, drawing him into the darkness as he clamped his other hand over his victim's mouth.

" _Make a sound and your life is forfeit. Do you understand?_ " He hissed in the man's ear. The servant froze in his grasp almost immediately, nodding vigorously.

" _Good. Now, I will ask you a simple question. Do you serve the Noxians willingly?"_ A shake of the head.

" _Do not lie to me. Are you one of their pawns?"_ Another shake of the head, coupled with just the hint of a desperate groan.

" _Then, if you are truly a friend of Ionia, you will tell me where I can find Commander Rawthorn, and the Stewart of Teko'an."_

Another nod, exceeding the other gestures in both vigor and desperation. Beads of sweat were glistening on the servant's forehead, and Kayn could practically taste the fear he was exuding. _Good. Fear makes everyone compliant._

" _Very well. I will allow you to speak now. But I warn you: do not think you can betray me easily. Believe me, your neck breaks faster than you can shout for help."_

Kayn shifted from behind the man in his grasp, before slamming him against the wall, his arm pressed into his throat. Just enough pressure was exerted to allow his victim to speak, while keeping him from raising his voice above a weak wheeze.

" _They are both… at the top of the building, in the guest's study. I was sent… to order drinks for them…"_

" _They are still awake? Oh well. Then it's more of a challenge…"_ Kayn mused, before demanding, _"How do I get there unnoticed? And where are the guards?"_

" _Two of Rawthorn's Trifarian legionaries guard the hall… if you take the servants route, they are the only ones… you have to pass."_

The ninja took a few moments to process the information. So, it was true, Rawthorn was being guarded by Noxus best. How would he get past them?

" **The way we've gotten past everything else, you idiot."** Rhaast told him, breaking the long silence he'd held. **"By turning them into bloody bits."**

He was about to respond, when he noticed the man before him begin to struggle, his face slowly beginning to turn blue. _"Please… please spare me."_ The man choked out, tears in his eyes. _"I swear to the spirits, I am not a traitor."_

A frown drew itself on Kayn's brow as he considered the situation.

' _I should just knock him out, get him out of the way… but then I risk the Noxians notice him missing. Not just that, but he might be more inclined to help someone he considers a friend._ Kayn took the gamble, and released his chokehold, moving his arm to the servant's chest to keep him pinned.

" _If you aren't a traitor, then what are you doing here, wearing their emblem?"_ Kayn demanded

The other Ionian lowered his head despondently. _"I am a prisoner here, like so many others… You must know, anyone who draws the Stewards ire is given a choice: serve him or be punished severely. They threatened my family… please, you must understand."_ A pleading look was sent the ninjas way.

Tense silence settled in as Kayn considered the plea, and the face of his impromptu hostage sunk more and more as he believed his end had come. Finally, the ninja spoke his verdict.

" _Very well, I believe you."_ He spoke, before releasing the other man.

The servant keeled over, leaning his hands on his knees as he took deep breaths. _"Th-thank you."_

" _Now show me this servant's route you spoke of."_

After a moment of collecting himself, the servant quietly led the ninja down the hall to a hidden alcove, where a small pair of staircases extended both upwards and downwards through the heavy stone walls.

" _Climb these, and you should arrive at the top floors undisturbed. 5 levels, then take a right, and follow the hallway. The guards are right around the corner."_

Kayn offered the man a curt nod, but paused, one foot on the stairs.

" _You will not speak of this to anyone. If all goes well, you will have a chance to escape your prison soon."_ He intoned, his voice leaving no doubt as to what awaited the other if he disobeyed. The servants face lit up.

" _I understand."_

* * *

Ascending the staircase, Kayn found the heavy, spartan style of the lower levels soon replaced by a larger, more pompous architecture. If anything, it was visual confirmation he was drawing closer to his targets. Having counted the floors carefully, the ninja exited into a high, vaulted hallway, and he was inwardly grateful no-one else had crossed his path. He was this close to performing one of his greatest feats yet, and he would not fail at any cost.

With his steps expertly silenced, he crept through the gloomy halls, until he came upon the prophesized corner. Pressing his back into the wall, he peered around it just a fraction.

True to the servant's words, two guards stood flanking a set of large double doors, their postures stiff and eyes attentive. Their heavy armor was marked with the three unmistakable indentations of the Trifarian Legion, confirming the presence of his target beyond their post. Kayn almost laughed at the irony. The Noxians were paranoid enough to have their best guards protect them even deep in the heart of their stronghold, and yet it would not avail.

With the faintest of chuckles, Kayn drew back a step, before extending his left hand. Tendrils of darkness coiled themselves around the bandaged limb, traveling down his arm and collecting in his opened palm. At first formless, the inky black spread outwards, a familiar shape materializing within it. First a long handle, then a large, wicked blade, and finally, a blood red eye that was now peering down at the shadow warrior. With a silent flourish, Kayn rested the pommel of his scythe on the ground.

" **Finally, I'm free of that suffocating darkness."** Rhaast growled, sounding more than a little miffed, but attentive enough to keep his complaints inside Kayn's mind.

" _Well excuse me, but constantly keeping you hidden with my magic isn't exactly easy either."_ Kayn countered. He had to admit, he did not know exactly how the process of stowing individual objects within the shadows worked. Were they sent to the Spirit Realm, or another place altogether? In any case, it probably wasn't pleasant.

" **Your shadow magic is insignificant in comparison to…"** Rhaast began, before cutting himself off mid-sentence. **"…forget about it. I believe there are more pressing matters to attend to."**

That response was a bit puzzling, but Kayn paid it no further mind.

" _Indeed, there are. It's time to make Noxus a few heads shorter."_

" **Hehehe… I've been waiting for those words… let's give them hell."**

A moments later, two heads tumbled from their necks, severed in one swift, clean stroke, neither Noxian flesh nor armor, whatever their quality, able to withstand the unnatural bite of the Darkin scythes blade. Before his feet touched the ground, Kayn already sent out shadow tendrils to and cushion the corpses fall, so as to not alert the hapless Noxians within.

Rhaast's eye glowed in visible joy at tasting blood once more, and Kayn couldn't help but take a moment to appreciate the flawless execution as he flicked excess ichor off the blade. Yet, they couldn't pause for long. From this point on, every second counted, decided about success or failure.

After dropping his traveling satchel and his cloak to lighten his load, Kayn stepped into the wall separating him from his targets. Through the magically influence masonry, four distinct silhouettes were visible inside the hall, their auras flickering in various degrees of intensity that belied their magic strength. One burned far brighter than the rest, and there was no doubt this individual was the feared Noxian mage. Another shone with lesser power than the Commander, but in a fashion that Kayn had never seen before. Adding this new threat to his considerations, the ninja plotted how he would do the deed: the two soldiers and the advisor would have to die first, so he could deal with the commander undisturbed. It was certainly possible, but it required the utmost precision, and even with the element of surprise on his side, he would only have a few seconds before they would be able to retaliate. He just had to wait for the right moment.

Their voices slowly reached his ears, as if heard through water, muffled and warbled, and he drew a little closer in order to pick up their conversation.

"I'm grateful for your invitation, Rawthorn, but I'm afraid I don't quite understand your interest in all this Ionian literature." A silhouette spoke, almost apologetically, and from the way the figure held itself, Kayn deduced it must be the Steward.

The burning silhouette, seated in an armchair, responded in a voice that kept its strength even though the shadowy distortion. "Ah, my dear Khorak, I simply take interest in analyzing and understanding their culture. 'Know the enemy, know yourself'. It is an elemental aspect in the Art of War."

"There is nothing worth learn about in their culture." Another man, most likely an officer, growled, apparently displeased. "They are backwater farmers, who venerate weakness and despise war."

"And yet, Commander Gohrl. These so-called backwater farmers managed what most could not: to drive our forces into _retreating_. _Do you understand what that means?_ _Noxus_ _does not retreat_."

The commander paused for effect, and while he had barely raised his voice, the underlying anger in his words was unmistakable.

"Remember the values of Noxus: strength is strength, in whatever form in comes. If a culture, however different from ours, manages to face us head on, that means it is strong, and therefore worth our concern and attention."

Even unable to see their faces through his magic wall-walking, the ensuring silence told Kayn that the two officers in question had been dealt serious blows by the commander's words. Truth be told, the ninja was beginning to see how this Rawthorn had become so infamous in comparison to other mages: the man was not just a powerful sorcerer, but also highly intelligent, unfettered by the signature narrow mindset of his Noxian brethren, and such made him far more dangerous. _Yet, even an intelligent barbarian was still a barbarian, and this one had to die, now._

"Alright, I'm leaving." The officer from before growled, stopping Kayn in his tracks as he rose from his chair. "You keep to your little hobby here if you wish, but I will not waste any more time. Good night."

" **If he sees those corpses, you'll be in trouble."** Rhaast offered cheekily.

" _I'm well aware of the fact, thank you!"_ his wielder responded, far more agitated. If the Noxian went through those doors, he'd find the dead guards, and then all of Kayn's efforts at stealth would have been for naught. It was the chance he had been waiting for, but he would have to act quickly.

With a final, deep breath, Kayn launched himself out of the masonry, a swath of lethal darkness. The room he found himself in was square in shape, thin, high windows on one side showing glimpses of the night sky. A fireplace burned dimly on the far side, with various tables and cupboards lining the walls, and a grand table illuminated by candle light occupied the space in the middle, surrounded by three of the Noxians, The fourth one now found himself right in front of Kayn, the officer's eyes glaring at the blur of shadows flying towards him, before a large wicked blade soundlessly severed his head, the resulting wave of shadow magic extinguishing the candelabras around them.

The body crumpled as Kayn landed gracefully, leaving the remaining men bathed in darkness. Without wasting any time, he used the opening and brought his scythe around, swiftly embedding its blade in the Stewards chest with a sickening crunch and a wet squelch. A single groan left his bloodied mouth as his heart burst and his spine was severed, before the luster faded from his eyes.

Rawthorn regained his bearings that moment, and dove out of his chair with a loud crash. A flicker in the corner of his vision drew Kayn's attention away from his target however, and ripping his scythe free, he dove to the side just in the nick of time as crimson dagger-like shards flew past him, exploding into specks of what was unmistakably blood. The display left Rhaast audibly enraged.

" **The bastard dares?!"** he shouted, but Kayn ignored his outburst in favor of more pressing matters. Seeing the advisor ready another volley of magic missiles, he dissolved into shadows, diving into the offender's flesh. From within the safety of his shadows, Kayn attempted to see where Rawthorn had gone during the scuffle, only to widen them in shock as he found his target hadn't attempted to escape, but was now pointing a baton directly at his host, light pooling at the crystalline tip.

A burst of blindingly bright magic erupted from the weapon, engulfing the man who currently housed the ninja. An inhuman howl of agony sounded from the advisor's throat as his flesh was seared, and within, Kayn was subjected to similar agony as the nova of white light began consuming hos shadows. Entirely unprepared, he attempted to fight the gleaming fire tearing at this magic, but as the magic only grew in intensity, his resistance eventually crumbled. With the shadows burned out, Kayn was ejected from his target, crashing down upon the hard, stone floor, his bandages tearing and burning away to reveal his Darkin flesh.

 _What the… what in Runeterra was that?!_

A shrill ringing filled his ears, and colorful spots obscured his vision as pain encompassed his body, but he had no time to indulge in weakness. Gritting his teeth, Kayn dug his hands into the floor and pushed himself back onto his knees. With a few rapid eyeblinks, his vision began clearing just in time to witness his host crumpling to the ground, his clothing burned and flesh charred beyond recognition. Then he raised his head, and in the distance, illuminated by the radiance of his weapon, the man whose life he had set out to end became fully visible to Kayn.

Short, golden hair in a military haircut topped a face that was equally youthful and battle-hardened, out of which two cold, blue eyes glared at the ninja before him. Garbed in the imposing black uniform of a Noxian commander, adorned with various awards, and wielding an ornate black baton, Rawthorn was every bit the tyrant Kayn had pictured in his mind. But that attack… even now, he felt the powerful magic eat at his shadows. He had known about the commander's skill, but to think it would counter his own in such a way…

"Hands where I can see them, bastard", Rawthorn spat, keeping his baton trained on the downed assassin as he slowly walked around his table. In response, Kayn sat himself on his haunches, raising his hands.

"You thought I was easy prey, didn't you? That I would be helpless if you caught me with my pants down?" the Noxian mocked, but Kayn remained defiantly silent. Instead, he assessed the situation. With a slight panic, he realized Rhaast had been knocked from his hands, flung into the darkness behind him during the expulsion. He could not see the scythe, but he still felt its presence close by.

"Oh, not feeling like talking, are we?" Rawthorn quipped with a scowl. "Believe me, I've had enough experience with assassins like you… though you are the first to be both courageous _and stupid_ enough to attempt something like this. At least, you spared me quite a lot of effort, so I should thank you for your idiocy."

"What are you on about, you bastard?" Kayn finally cursed at him, unable to contain his anger.

"I suppose I can indulge you, seeing as how I still have need of your… assistance." The Noxian told him, slowly advancing past his working table. "I came to Ionia specifically looking for members of the 'Order of Shadow'. Rather unfortunately, that spy of yours I captured managed to end his life before we could be become properly acquainted… what a pity. But I knew his death would draw the attention of your order."

He stopped at a safe distance, before laying his free hand on his chest. "It was easy enough to goad your master into sending a replacement. A high-profile enemy such as me, targeting members of your order? Even I wouldn't pass up on such a chance. So, they sent you, who somehow chose to walk straight into my arms. Even with the murders you achieved, you should have known you were doomed to fail."

"What do you want?" Kayn growled, tired of hearing the man's condescending monologue.

"What I want is answers. Co-operate with me, and I _might_ just consider letting you live, in spite of your murder of a Noxian official."

Being forced to grovel into this situation was already upsetting enough, but now, Kayn's blood truly boiled. He would not be interrogated like some lowly prisoner! Stoked by the cold resentment blooming in his chest, Kayn felt his recovering shadow magic grow stronger again, slowly filling him with new strength.

"So, for my first question: your Order took something that belongs to Noxus, which I intend to retrieve. Tell me which one of you rats stole the Darkin weapon sent from Vindor."

"You want to know who?" Kayn spoke, chuckling ominously. Rawthorn was wise to keep his distance, but with the reach of the scythe, he was still within range. All he had to do was dodge the assured counterattacks, and then, it would take only one strike.

 _"Let me show you!"_

Phasing into shadows, the ninja shifted from his seated position into a crouch. As expected, Rawthorn immediately responded with a volley of magic blasts, but he weaved through the attacks, before summoning the familiar tendrils of shadow to wrench Rhaast back into his hand. Then he lunged for the commander.

At the last second, the man dodged backwards, and with a swing of his baton, chains of light arced towards Kayn, pulling him back to the ground, before turning into a cage of shimmering radiance. Rawthorn, who up until that point had been composed, if not slightly annoyed at the entire ordeal, now looked genuinely surprised as he beheld the Darkin weapon in Kayn's hands.

"You… you are the one?" he asked in disbelief. "You are the one who took the Blade of Millenia?"

The ninja pushed against the transparent cage around him, but to no avail. The barrier was strong, and he hadn't yet managed to rebuild his strength. If he was to free himself, he would need to buy just a little more time.

"Yes, it was I who took the scythe!" Kayn told the commander with barely hidden malice, hoping to distract him with conversation. "You were fools for thinking a small band of goons would be enough to protect an artifact of this magnitude, and now, I have taken the Darkin's power for myself." But even as he spoke, he realized just what the Noxian had revealed to him.

"You knew it was the Order… how?"

The corner of Rawthorn's mouth twitched with the hint of a victorious smile. "When the artifact that we had uncovered never arrived in Noxus Prime, we went to investigate. Imagine our surprise when, along with the bodies of our men, we found the mangled corpse of one of your fellows, all carrying traces of shadow magic. There were few plausible explanations after that."

A faint pang of shock coursed through Kayn's body as the memories resurfaced. _It cannot be… Nakuri?!_ But now, in hindsight, it made terrible sense. That fateful day, when his brother-in-arms had chosen to take a stand against him in the shadow of that Noxtoraa, he'd cut him down… and left him in the fields besides the dead Noxian soldiers.

" **Yes, I remember that day."** A familiar voice spoke up again, having silently enjoyed the previous bloodbath. **"The first blood I had tasted in so long… was that of your own. You always talk at length about your control… the irony."**

The ninja paled a little. He'd been told countless times to be diligent with his work, to not let arrogance rule his actions, and yet, like Zed had warned him, his sloppiness came back to haunt him.

"Thus, I was sent to ensure the Darkin scythe would return to Noxus safely, and my benefactors provided me with ample resources. I admit, setting this entire operation up took far too long, but now, thanks to you, all of the effort has paid off."

Kayn grit his teeth at the taunt, but something far more important made him think. If Noxus sent someone like Rawthorn just to find him and take Rhaast back, then it must mean someone in their ranks must know of the Darkin's potency _Perhaps someone who knows more about the Darkin than I do._

"Now then, as much as I enjoyed this chat, I believe I've indulged you for long enough." Rawthorn announced. "Let us come to the point. Surrender the weapon to me, and I'll allow you to leave alive with the disgrace of knowing your arrogance caused your downfall. Otherwise, certain death awaits."

The ninja scowled. He wouldn't surrender the scythe for anything in the world. There was no question, this power was his, and he'd rather die than let Noxus have any chance of using it against Ionia. Surprisingly, Rhaast seemed to share the sentiment.

" **Who does he think he is, attempting to separate me from the body I've chosen? You aren't actually considering his offer?!"**

" _Of course not, you simple-minded gardening tool. Your power is mine, and mine alone!"_

" **Then end his pathetic life once and for all!"**

The weapon in his hands began to tremble, and Kayn felt the scythes power fuel his recovering magic in a rare show of solidarity from the Darkin. With grim determination, he readied himself as he began summoning his shadows. _Time to put an end to this ungodly Noxian filth._

"What will it be?" Rawthorn asked again, impatience in his voice, but Kayn had already made up his mind.

" _Over my dead body!_ "

With a scream of resolve, he unleashed the shadows he'd collected against his cage, thin cracks appearing in the shimmering sheet of magic before it finally shattered, raining shards of light all over the room. Rawthorn recoiled slightly at the display of power, but stood his ground with an expression of determination.

"Fair enough. I wouldn't have let you live anyway."

He wrenched his baton into the air in a violent motion, and around the room's perimeter, streams of shining light erupted upwards, creating an arena of light. With the masonry now coated in magic, it was impervious to Kayn's shadows, trapping him inside with the Noxian. _He's locked us in? Fine then._

"I admit, I have never truly faced a wielder of your shadow magic in battle." Rawthorn explained, before issuing his challenge with a flick of his hand "But I look forward to besting both you, and the Darkin scythe at once. Come at me!"

Kayn adjusted his grip on the scythe, and took off towards the Noxian, trying to close the distance for a quick kill. In response, the Noxian threw himself back and rolled over the table, reaching the other side just as the scythe crashed down on the wood, cleanly splitting it in two. In response, a blast of magic was unleashed towards the ninja. Dodging to the side, he advanced towards the retreating Noxian, who now stood with his back against the wall.

Kayn went into an overhead strike, bringing his scythe down on the commander with all his might to cleave him in two. To his shock, a wall of light intercepted his attack, sparking heavily as Rhaast's blade strained against the magic barrier. The Noxian behind the sheet of light stepped forward, and their gazes locked for a moment, Kayn's vicious mismatched eyes burning into the cold blue of Rawthorn. Then the commander swung his baton against the barrier with a grimace.

The protective spell erupted in Kayn's face, burning him as the fragments of light magic burned against his skin. His eyes temporarily blinded by the radiance, he was defenseless as the next blast hit him straight in the chest, launching him backwards and over the destroyed tabletop. Crashing down onto the stone floor, new pains erupted all over his flesh.

"You disappoint me, boy. You showed such promise, and yet, you are no real threat." Rawthorn taunted, advancing again.

" **What are you doing, you idiot?"** Rhaast admonished, **"Get up and tear him to shreds!"**

Pain and anger gnawed at Kayn, stoking the mounting fire of rage that his enemy had enflamed within his chest. Pushing himself to his feet, he felt that familiar burn of madness teetering on the edge of his mind, pressing him to giving in to the flames of war trapped within the scythe. But Kayn would not give in because of such a little setback. No, he was above this. After all, whoever lost their composure in battle first was the one certain to lose, and that would certainly not be him.

Closing his eyes, he drew deep of the dark well within him, the pain allowing him to channel the magic through his body even more effectively, and further sharpening his focus. Shadows began surrounding him, weaving around and throughout his body, and while it did not make the aches fade, the cold sting of the darkness allowed his mind to push past the limitations of his flesh.

His eyes snapped open, his expression cold and his mind steeled once more, and Kayn went for his enemy again. He saw Rawthorn visibly falter at the display, and relished the insecurity in the Noxians eyes as he beheld the shadow-wreathed specter. _Good, the first crack in the armor._

Adjusting his stance, Rawthorn reopened his barrage of magic blasts, but Kayn, now focused and empowered by his magic, dodged nimbly between each shot. In response, the Noxian threw a volley of binding spells to immobilize the ninja once more. Shifting past the chains of light, Kayn swung his scythe straight towards Rawthorn's neck, who managed to duck just in time. Lowering his shoulder, the Noxian bashed into the ninja with all his might, immediately sprinting past his dazed enemy. But he was beginning to lose his footing, unable to keep a safe distance between himself and the scythe-wielding assassin.

Kayn utilized his close-range advantage by unleashed a chain of attacks with a dexterity that surprised even himself, forcing Rawthorn on the defensive entirely. All of his energy was now used to create barriers against the never-ending series of strikes from the Darkin scythe, and as he pressed the attack further and further, Kayn felt the magic behind the barriers slowly grow weaker.

Rawthorn might've been powerful in terms of destructive force, but he began showcasing a lack of stamina. As the battle drew out, Rawthorn's posture was slowly breaking, and with Kayn advancing closer and closer, all it would take was one tiny mistake in his defense. And true to his intuition, as the ninja led a dash into a full spin with his scythe, Rawthorn finally faltered, his barriers crashing entirely.

 _There! This is my chance!_

The light-mage recoiled just enough to allow for a counter-attack, and Kayn, utilizing the trick he'd perfected since fighting Zed, phased his scythe through the ground to perform a devastating uppercut. With a resounding 'Aaargh!', Rawthorn was thrown back as the Darkin blade slashed through his uniform and ate into his flesh, opening a deep, bloody gash across his torso.

Kayn huffed heavily as he lowered his weapon, seeing his enemy writhe in pain. As much as he desired to finish off the Noxian, he had to exercise restraint. This man had connections into the heart of Noxus, and he could not pass up on a chance like this. Rhaast shouted in indignity at the inaction.

" **What do you think you are doing? Don't let him recover, you fool!"**

" _Silence!"_ he returned, before addressing his enemy.

"So, Noxian, I think it's time I ask something in return, don't you think?" Rawthorn, currently curling up on the ground holding his bleeding torso, snarled like a wounded animal in response. Kayn felt the need to spit at the display out of disgust.

" _Co-operate with me, and I might just consider killing you quickly._ So now, your so called 'benefactors'… who are they? Who would have this much knowledge about the Darkin?"

He eyed Rawthorn warily as the man slowly struggled to his feet, but he let him be. The Noxians legs were shaking like leaves in the wind, and seeing blood gush from the fresh wound, Kayn was sure the man was incapable of further combat. A grimace of pain and unfettered hatred graced Rawthorn's once handsome and composed features.

"You think… I'll just give away Noxus secrets like that, _filth_?" he huffed, before faltering as blood spurted from his mouth.

"Very well." Kayn replied. "Then we will have to do this the painful way."

With Rawthorn's body wounded and his energy almost entirely spent, Kayn knew he could offer little resistance, and so, he dove into the Noxians flesh with his shadow magic. Hidden within the darkness, the thoughts and memories of the Noxian commander were laid bare to Kayn in a muddled mess of images, sounds and emotions.

 _A young mage, learning to control his magic under the light of the sun that fueled his power, all for the sake of his beloved nation._

 _The same mage, standing alongside a famous Noxian general, overseeing their conquests Shurima._

 _Ancient ruins buried in the golden sands, remnants of great wars long past, and murals depicting creatures of both divine and horribly inhuman power._

 _Inside the walls of Noxus, that mage now a commander, dissatisfied with the usurper at the heart of the Trifarix, looking for a way to deal with treason._

 _A man with white hair, surrounded by an aura of terrible power, inside the dark heart of Noxus Prime, conversing with the commander about ancient weapons and the glory of Noxus._

 _That very man with white hair, sending the commander out to do his bidding in Ionia._

The rattling groans of his host drew Kayn out of the visions. The man was fading, and with his mind going, there was little left to do. Thus, he broke free from the Noxians body.

Rawthorn only let out a raspy groan as his flesh was sundered a second time by the shadow ninja exiting his body, before crumpling to the floor. Kayn's landing was less than stellar, owed to the many aches still wracking his body, but in the end, he was the one left standing.

"How… how can this be?!" the mage stammered as he slumped on his knees; his voice wet with his own blood. "I am… Noxus elite… how can I lose… to a nobody like you?!"

Now it was Kayn towering above the dying man, and with a cold look of disdain, he held the coveted scythe to his throat. It was sweet, sweet revenge, listening to the pained groans, but there was still work to be done.

"Now, Noxian, I give you one last chance to tell me: Who is the one who sent you? _Who are your masters?_ "

Rawthorn's eyes widened just a fraction. Then his lips parted, and while his voice was distorted by the gurgle of blood filling his lungs and throat, he pressed the words out regardless. "You win today… but rest assured… this is not the end. My masters will ensure… that the scythe is returned to Noxus… and with its help, our empire shall-"

His words were cut off quite literally as with a flick of the wrist, Rhaast's blade cleaved through the Noxians throat. Rawthorn's death throes were only a few pathetic shivers, his flesh already wrecked at this point, and then, he toppled over, finally stilling.

The Noxian menace was no more.

Extending his hand, Kayn reached out and let his shadows seep through the fresh corpse. Dark tendrils began rising in response, slowly forming a shade in the vague outlines of the late commander. The specter lasted only for a moment before it was wrenched from its source, dissolving and being absorbed into the shadowy tattoos lining the flesh of its murderer. Kayn inhaled sharply for a second as the residue of the Noxians soul, and thereby, the remains of its power, were added to his own strength. Only once the deed was done did the ninja allow his exhaustion to finally catch up with him, and he dropped to one knee.

As much as he hated to admit it, he had to give Rawthorn credit where it was due. He'd fought few enemies that had challenged him like this before, and while the man had been a filthy Noxian, he had posed an actual threat. Rubbing his arm, Kayn could still feel the bite of the light magic that could devour the shadows he'd once considered undefeatable.

 _I'll honor the one good thing about him by using his shadow to fuel my own ambitions. Good riddance._

Meanwhile, Rhaast's eye surveyed the entire scene, and if he'd had lips at the moment, he would've certainly let out an impressed whistle.

" **I must say Kayn, for all the trouble you've put us through, that was excessively rewarding. That man was almost worthy to face me… at least, he knew how to die."**

The ninja nodded in response. "Now, time for the spoils."

He needed to provide proof for his kill of course, and taking a few valuable artifacts here and there never hurt anyone. Grasping his scythe closer by the blade, Kayn flipped the corpse around before severing the Noxians rank insignia from his uniform. Packing the scrap of cloth and metal away safely, he grabbed the mages baton next. He was no expert on these kinds of weapons, but the rod seemed like quality work, and even if it was useless to him, it would make for excellent evidence of his kill. When he went to fix the baton to his belt however, something else caught his eye.

Kayn could've sworn that Rawthorn had been wearing a small, golden brooch before, but as he checked the tarnished uniform now, it appeared missing. Normally, he wouldn't give it much thought, but it had been prominently placed on the commander's chest before, so the sudden disappearance piqued his curiosity. His eyes roamed the corpse and its surroundings, before they fell on the Noxians right hand, which was tightly clenched.

 _Could it be?_

Rigor Mortis hadn't set in yet, so it was easy enough to pry the fingers apart, and indeed, there the brooch sat, hidden from view. Plucking it from its hiding place, Kayn examined the ornament. It was a simple clasp for a coat, with cloth still stuck under the mechanism, and its surface was decorated with a golden relief. What looked like a circle drawn with blood surrounded a phrase written in the Noxian language. The hated speech had begun fading from the ninjas mind, but the message was still legible.

 _Blood for Noxus._

Rawthorn must've torn the brooch from his uniform at some point, and attempted to hide it while the killing blow had been delivered. But why? Kayn didn't see anything that would indicate significance, it was just another worthless Noxian trinket. Unless…

 _Unless it had some secret significance to Rawthorn, something that his enemy wasn't supposed to find out about. Perhaps it is some mark of identification, or even the seal of his masters. It was some clue to be sure._

" **Uhm, Kayn?"** his scythe interrupted his pondering.

"What is it Rhaast? Can't you see I'm busy?"

" **I hate having to interrupt your looting spree, but if you really care about remaining unseen, we should be leaving soon. You wouldn't want anyone to stumble over our little display we left outside now, would you?"**

 _Damn it, he's right._ Kayn thought to himself. He'd have enough to think about the ramifications of his findings once he was safe, so he pocketed the ornament, and with a final look at the carnage he'd caused, shifted through the door and into the darkness beyond.


	12. Leaving Teko'an

This chapter had no reason for taking this long to post. But there is something more important I want to address.

When I started writing this, it was supposed to be a two-shot at most. Then, motivation struck, and I decided to write a full story. But the whole thing was... rough, and entirely without deeper thought. I actually had little to no idea what I was doing back then, as evidenced by my constant corrections and updates. Despite me thinking myself a loremaster, I overlooked so much important lore back then, and I made the mistake of not properly plannings things you, leaving me less than satisfied with what I've written.

I know what this sounds like. He's going to drop the story, isn't he? Well no. I still care for this project, it's just that I've decided the only way to get the story into what I truly want it to be is to rewrite it entirely, to use all the new lore and create a new story, with a proper structure from the very beginning.

But then, just when I'd decided to finally start the rewrite, Riot drops the Zed comic on us. God damn it. The biggest source of lore I could wish for... and it'll take five more months or so to be finished.

To make my point: What I've written is badly structured and has too many inconsistencies with the lore for me to enjoy, but the rewrite has to wait until after the Zed comic is done.

But for those of you who somehow enjoy my writings, don't worry, I won't leave you for another six months. I've got a few smaller things planned that I hope you'll enjoy in the meantime. The first one should be up now, please go check it out and perhaps leave it a review.

That being said, please enjoy the twelfth chapter of this story, in all its procrastinated glory.

* * *

 _Darkness hung heavy over the ruined hall; obscuring the signs of the destruction that had occurred inside. The perpetrator of ruination had long since left, leaving the bodies of four Noxian men lying amidst the ash and the blood, cold and motionless._

 _Except, one of the bodies had begun stirring again._

 _The figure had been catapulted into the dark embrace of unconsciousness soon after being engulfed in pure light, and while he did not blame his superior for his actions, the damage was still done. Now, pain bombarded him as his mind teetered back from the edge of death and into the living world._

 _He could smell the disgusting scent of burnt flesh and cloth all around him, and the charred remains of his coat were glued to his body by his own blood. In fact, the sheer blood loss was becoming apparent as he felt light-headed almost immediately. Thankfully, he was capable of remedying that problem._

 _A soft red glow began illuminating the darkness as he began working his blood magic. By no means was he as skilled or powerful as his master, but it was enough to siphon the liquid life he had lost back into his body, exerting what strength he had left to force his most life-threating wounds closed in the process._

 _Soon after, the Noxian staggered to his feet, surveying the chaos with his weakened eyes. Before him in the gloom lay the corpses of Steward Khorak and his rather dimwitted lieutenant, and behind the splintered working table rested the headless corpse of Rawthorn, the expression on the violently divorced head nearby frozen in a mixture of shock, pain, and madness._

 _All three of them, dead at the hands of an assassin, but not just any assassin. No, a shadow warrior of all things, and in his hands, the very Darkin weapon they had come for._

 _The man showed the darkness around it a grim smile. The loss of a powerful individual like Rawthorn from their ranks was most unfortunate, but in death, he had yet served their masters purpose. They knew where the scythe was now, and who wielded it. The power of the ancients was now within reach._

 _He laughed. Yes, this battle had been lost, but the war had really only just begun._

* * *

As swiftly and quietly as he had entered, Kayn made his way past the dead Trifarians, who had gone undetected. It seemed that despite the intensity of the battle, the fortress and its inhabitants had slept through the death of their leaders, but as he descended through the Noxian colossus, the ninja kept his scythe ready still. He was only halfway done, and only fools think themselves victorious before having vacated the battlefield.

Speaking of the scythe, Rhaast had fallen silent soon after hurrying his wielder into leaving, but Kayn did not particularly mind. It allowed him to focus on the task at hand as he traveled through the servant's route and back out onto the parapet. The guards were still traveling their routes up and down the wall, so he simply repeated his stealth routine from before, waiting until a guard passed before riding along in the Noxians shadow. Waiting for the right moment, he dove from his host and into the dark masonry, exiting below.

When he had arrived, there had still been a remnant of activity in the lower section, soldiers heading for dormitories and patrols exchanging stations. Now, the narrow paths between the buildings lay vacated, a blanket of darkness resting over Teko'an as heavy clouds obscured the moon. Only one or two guards patrolled the main road with torches in hand, leaving Kayn to weave stealthily through the side-alleys.

Yet, as he descended into the lower level of the fortress, the assassin felt the aftermath of his battle with Rawthorn begin to take effect. The combat-induced adrenaline was wearing off, and a well of pain slowly bloomed on his chest where he'd been blasted point-blank. Touching his hand there revealed a large hole in his shirt, his fingers sticky with fresh blood, and he could smell charred flesh. With the lack of light, Kayn couldn't assess the extent of the damages, but he powered through regardless. His magic might've wearing thin, his reserves barely recovered from being devoured by light magic, but the main gate was in sight, and all that was left was crossing the bridge beyond to be free. He would hold out.

Cloaking himself in shadows one more time, the ninja phased through the grand gate, sprinting across the bridge in what felt like seconds, letting the burning in his legs cover up the pain in his chest. Finally, he reached the first Noxian houses, but he pushed himself onwards until he was well clear of the fortress and safely amongst Ionian buildings.

Checking for potential followers one last time, Kayn headed into a small alcove between two houses, where he sat down to rest. Releasing his shadow magic unfortunately meant that all the pains he had suppressed hit him twice as hard now, but battle-hardened as he was, it elicited barely more than a flinch. Instead, the ninja used the chance to sit down and inspect his wounds properly. Retrieving a small piece of tinder and some flint from his pouch, he lit a small flame. In the dim light, the full extent of the damage was revealed.

A ragged hole was torn into the sweat drenched cloth across his chest, the flesh below heavily burned as if by fire, and a wide gash amidst the charring that still bled. Kayn could even feel remnants of Rawthorn's light magic still sizzling at the edges. It must've been at least a second, maybe even third-degree burn. He'd been told that if it still hurt, it wasn't too bad, but still.

"Great, just what I needed." Kayn hissed through grit teeth.

Getting injured like this had definitely not been part of the plan. Then again, in spite of Zed's instructions to approach this carefully, to take utmost care and wait for the right moment before striking, he had rushed the fortress instead. But he'd been sure that if he struck within their own walls, the Noxians would be too stunned by surprise and fear to fight back… he'd been wrong. In the end, Kayn had come out on top of course, but Rawthorn had managed to deal far too much damage for comfort.

Kayn winced as another barb of pain drew his attention back to the wound. He needed to stop the bleeding and cover it, before it could become any worse. Thankfully, he had packed more than enough bandages, and so, he reached for his traveling pack… only to find it empty.

"Of course." He spoke to the dark alcove. "I used them to hide… my… arm."

The ninja's voice trailed off as his human hand felt entirely uncovered carapace, and the memory of the bandages burning away during the battle passed through his mind. Rummaging through his traveling satchel yielded nothing as well, and he smashed his fist against the ground in frustration.

Another wave of pain crashed into the assassin's ribcage. Then another, and another, yet growing in intensity. His brow furrowed in confusion. This was certainly not just the wound… had he contracted an infection already? That idea was quickly discarded as a fourth pulse hit him, actually knocking the breath out of him. Kayn's face scrunched up as he clutched his torso, the pressure feeling like his heart might just burst out of the wound.

Any confusion as to the origin was quickly dispelled as a familiar crimson light began filling the alcove, the ninja's gaze falling onto the scythe still clutched tightly in his left hand. A blood-red eye, opened equally wide, stared back at him.

Kayn had just enough time to brace himself before the storm of pain that accompanied Rhaast's attempts to possess him crashed down upon him. It was clear now that the pain radiating through his body was not of his wound, but a symptom of the inhuman anger and malice rising from the abyss. He gripped the infernal scythe tightly with both hands, for while Rhaast did not possess a real physical body for Kayn to wrestle with, exerting force over the weapon allowed the assassin some manner of physical anchor in their mental battle.

He could feel Rhaast crash against his mental barriers like vicious ocean waves, seeking to pour into any cracks he could find to tear the shadow warrior open, but he held fast. After all the time he endured with the scythe, it was becoming easier to predict when the Darkin would strike. Rhaast fed on bloodshed, which was why Kayn attempted to starve him, as much as one could starve a weapon intended to be used in battle. Yet, he had just consumed the lives of half a dozen Noxians. He'd already half expected the Darkin to attack.

He scoffed. Did Rhaast really think he was too weak to fight back now? It was true, the ninja's magic was worn thin, but he'd once killed a man underwater with his bare hands, _after_ holding his breath for a solid minute. He knew how to make use of limited resources. Undeterred by the pains coming from his damaged flesh, the ninja summoned what remained of the darkness within him to push back, and he could feel the Darkin flail in surprise at the renewed resistance.

" **How are you still struggling?!"** Rhaast shouted in his mind, but Kayn paid him no heed. Zed entrusted him with this task, and the assassin would be stopped on the finish line by the lowly demon in his hands.

Slowly, Rhaast's assault stilled as he was pushed into his prison once more, growling like a rabid animal all the way. Then, the demonic light of the scythe finally dimmed, bathing the alcove in darkness once more.

"Oh please, Rhaast." Kayn huffed, letting the weapon drop off to the side once more. "I get one small cut, and you immediately think I am too weak to fight you?"

" **A small cut you say?** "

Kayn laughed. "Believe me, I could have a blade plunged into my back and still be able to defeat you with ease."

" **Is that so?"** Rhaast chuckled darkly. **"We shall see."**

"Yes, yes, we shall see and such. Now, if your tantrum is finished, I would like to get on with my life." He taunted once more to hide his exhaustion. Rhaast thankfully complied, leaving Kayn to finally consider the situation at hand.

The whole episode had caused quite a bit of ruckus, considering the demonic red light that had engulfed the alley, and Kayn hoped it hadn't attracted any unwanted attention, because he had far more important things to attend to than potential Noxian guards. He was alone after all, deep in enemy territory in the middle of the night. How could he possibly get the wound treated? Whom could he ask for assistance?

As he racked his mind for ideas, a thought struck him like a flash.

There was still that offer of assistance he'd been extended from that man, Jiji. He'd said his female companion saved him when he was crippled, and with a fair bit of reasoning, that most likely included treating the wound. If she was capable of doing so, Kayn didn't think it too far-fetch she might be able to help him with his injury. And even if she wasn't, he'd take the chance that they could get him help over bleeding out in some dark alley.

Shuffling to his feet, the ninja exited his hiding place, a now-compliant Rhaast slung over his shoulder. Navigating the city, well hidden from Noxian patrols through his control of the darkness, he soon arrived at the ornate arch that led into a familiar courtyard. Leaning on his scythe, Kayn knocked upon Jiji's door three times, discreetly but firmly. Then, he waited, and hoped.

Soon enough, to his relief, the sound of a lock being undone sounded, and the door opened to reveal the man himself, illuminated by the light of the candle he was holding.

"Who is it?" he asked, sounding disgruntled and tired. Judging by his disheveled clothes, Kayn must've woken him rather abruptly.

"It's me, Kayn." he responded quietly, and Jiji's eyes widened.

"Kayn? What brings you here at a time like this?"

"Remember that offer of assistance you extended?" The ninja told him, "I'd like to take you up on that, if you don't mind."

Jiji blinked a couple of times, before shaking his head, as if to get rid of sleep's daze. "Oh, of course, come inside."

The older man stepped aside, allowing the younger warrior to enter. Kayn followed him into the darkened living room, before unceremoniously dropping himself into a chair. Placing the candle on the table, the elder man opened his mouth to speak when his eyes fell on the weapon that his guest had dragged in after him.

"What… what in the name of the great spirits is that, Kayn?" Jiji asked, pointing. He didn't sound scared, but was certainly caught off guard.

Kayn blinked, before realizing his demonic hand was still gripping Rhaast, both very much uncovered this time around. The scythe's eye looked almost amused at Jiji's reaction.

"This is my weapon." He responded.

Jiji drew closer carefully, as if approaching a wild animal in a cage.

"I can see that… but that's not _just_ a weapon, is it?" He spoke with consternation. Kayn hesitated. He did not like revealing secrets like these to just anyone, but then again, he was counting on this man to help him. Perhaps he would have to make an exception.

"No, it isn't." The ninja affirmed bluntly. "Within this scythe lives a demon, whose power I am harnessing to fight Noxus." It wasn't exactly the truth, but it was close enough.

"You… you did tell me…" Jiji began after a moment of silence, "That your Order of Shadow seeks to defeat Noxus." He was audibly struggling to find the right words. "But… you would harness the power of demons to do so? Forgive me, but is that not too great a burden, even for someone you?"

Kayn jerked his head up, meeting the elder warriors gaze, who flinched back in return. So many doubted him and the path he had chosen. They thought it impossible to achieve, that no man could have enough conviction to see it through. He would show them wrong.

"Too great you say? For the Order's… no, for Ionia's sake, I would endure any burden, however heavy it may be. I would willingly give my flesh, even my very soul. Nothing is too great a sacrifice, nothing too big an obstacle, if it means we lead our land to prosperity once more. I thought someone like you would understand that."

His words brimmed with unrestrained zeal, and Jiji looked thoroughly shook by the impassionate speech, a myriad of emotions visible in his face. Silence fell for a while as the man seemed to contemplate what had been said, before his eyes fell on Kayn again.

"Oh, forgive me. Over all this, I forgot that you wanted help with something. How can I assist you?"

"I've been… injured." Kayn stated, laying a hand on his chest. In the dim light, Jiji must have missed the gaping hole in the ninja's shirt, for when he moved in closer, his face lit up in shock.

"I assumed you would be able to help me in some way."

Jiji nodded. "Of course. I cannot help you with this myself, but Ohna is a practiced healer, and I'm sure she will be capable of treating you. If you would wait a moment, I will go wake her."

A few minutes later, Kayn heard the sound of footsteps and muffled voices approach from outside. He strained his ears to listen in.

"So, where is this patient that you dragged me out of bed for?" A female voice questioned, which Kayn recognized as that of Ohna, the woman whom he had met three days ago.

"Over here." Jiji responded, before the footsteps stopped. "Remember, even if he looks threatening, he is on our side." Then, the door opened, and the two entered.

"Oh, it's you." Ohna spoke as she recognized the ninja, carrying a leather satchel. "Got a little roughed up on your trip to the fortress, eh?" she chided, but as she drew close enough to see the ninjas injuries in the weak light, her demeanor shifted noticeably.

"Let me see that." She demanded softly, reaching out to the gash across Kayn's chest. He let her.

"How did you get hurt like this?" she questioned, sounding genuinely intrigued and worried. "These injuries must've been caused by tremendously powerful magic… well, let's not waste any time. Would you mind removing your cloak and shirt?"

The ninja's breath hitched. It occurred to him that if he removed his clothing, they would see his corrupted flesh, and while they might have been sympathetic to him now, he did not know how his helpers would react to the sight.

" **Poor Kayn, worried about scaring a few commoners with his scary Darkin arm. You're not growing soft on me, are you?"** Rhaast taunted.

' _If you haven't noticed, I'm sort of depending on their help right now. But a farm implement like you wouldn't understand such nuance now, would it?'_

He sighed. No point beating around the bush "Alright. But don't be disturbed by what you will see."

Ohna scoffed as she placed a leather satchel full of medical tools on the nearby table. "I've treated all sorts of horrible wounds during the war. Nothing's going to throw me off that easily."

"If you say so." Kayn told her and with a shrug, he let the blood-stained cloak drop from his shoulders. A few moments of silence followed as the monstrous Darkin-infected flesh below was suddenly laid bare, the two hosts seemingly shocked at the revelation. Kayn raised an eyebrow.

" **As expected,"** Rhaast snarked.

"I kept this hidden, for obvious reasons." He explained. "This is the price of wielding the scythe, the mark of the demon."

The ninja raised his arm, flexing the vicious claws that stood in place of his human fingers while two pairs of eyes looked on.

"Does that… does it hurt?" Ohna inquired, unfazed.

"Only on the occasion." Kayn responded, laying his human hand on the gray carapace. "When the corruption gets stronger."

"Well, in any case, I'm not qualified to treat that sort of thing. Your other injuries however are fair game."

Kayn nodded, attempting to wrangle himself out of his tattered shirt. The article of clothing, thoroughly soaked with his blood as it was, did not want to cooperate as it should. Somehow, part of it had gotten tangled on the demonic shoulder growths. Finally, with an impatient growl, the assassin simply tore the piece of clothing apart, leaving his upper body exposed.

The woman procured a small clay jar, from within which she took a handful of a clear, blue ointment, generously smearing it across the burned flesh. Then she procured a small, green stone.

"This is going to hurt."

"Can't be worse than it is right now."

She shrugged. "If you say so." Then she held the stone before his chest, green light soon pulsing up between her fingers. Slowly, the charred flesh around the wound began regenerating, and indeed, it _hurt_ , but Kayn kept a straight face as a process that would usually take weeks happened in a few seconds. As the green glow faded, the ninja saw his flesh had gone from angry red to a raw pink, the magic-induced lesions gone. Stowing away the jar, the woman began carefully cleaning the ointment out of the wound, blackened flesh and dried blood flaking away to reveal the deeper wound below.

"How did you get hurt like this anyway?" Jiji asked while his companion worked in silence.

Without batting an eye, the assassin answered. "Rawthorn. He was a light mage, and not a weak one at that. Both him and the Steward are dead now, but obviously I would be lying if I said the fight didn't leave any marks."

"Wait… wait just a moment." The other man blurted out, raising his hands. "You… actually went through with your plan? You went into the fortress, past all the soldiers, and killed their leaders?" Jiji questioned in disbelief.

Kayn's attempt to respond was interrupted by his impromptu medic. "I knew there was something off about you the moment I saw you, but to think that you were actually an assassin… you really managed to murder Steward Khorak?"

"Of course. I told you, nothing is too great an obstacle for me. But maybe this will prove more than my words ever could."

Fidgeting with his belt, Kayn proudly produced two scrap of cloth for the two others to see, and upon closer inspection, they were shocked to find it the liveries of two high-ranking Noxian officers.

"You're actually insane." She told him, while Jiji apparently mused on what had been said with an absent expression.

The next few minutes were quiet, as Ohna busied herself stitching the gashes shut, Kayn feeling just a bit uncomfortable as the needle passed through the raw, regenerated skin. Finishing the treatment by wrapping clean bandages around Kayn's chest, she then handed him a strange kind of red potion.

"What's this?"

"A healing potion to help replenish your lost blood." She responded.

"Why would you have all of this anyway?" he asked her bluntly.

She put her hands on her hips proudly, but her eyes were somber. "Just because I don't wield a weapon like you two doesn't mean I didn't fight in the war. Out there, in the field, I saw things I never thought I would. There were many I couldn't save… now I am prepared for anything."

Kayn nodded, impressed, and downed the bottle in one go. It tasted about as good as expected of medicine made of ground up shrooms and whatnot, but soon enough, he felt… something happening. While Ohna washed her hands in a nearby washbowl, the ninja shifted his body experimentally as he felt the potion working, rolling his shoulders before examining the bandages. He extended a hand to touch them, only for his hand to be swatted away.

"Don't!" Ohna growled reflexively, but then, her voice softened again. "Don't… touch that please. Or jostle it at all, for that matter. Those kinds of injuries you sustained need to heal properly, or you'll be feeling their effects for a long time after."

Kayn considered her words, before letting out a satisfied hum.

"Thank you." He told Ohna curtly.

"You're welcome." She returned. "So, where do you intend to go from here?"

"As I see it, I will have to leave as fast as possible. I left a… rather _large_ mess in the fortress, and it's only a matter of time before the Noxians find it."

"He's right." Jiji spoke up, breaking his reverie. "Once they find the remains of their leaders, they will put the entire city… no, most likely even the entire region on lockdown, and then there is no telling what they will do. By that point you need to be long gone."

"Then let's not waste any time." Kayn announced, before jumping to his feet. Before he could move another step, a hand was placed on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

"Wait." Jiji told him. "There is something I… wanted to ask you."

Kayn raised an eyebrow at him. "Ask me?"

The older man swallowed audibly, before setting his face in a determined frown.

"Would your order have any place in it for a cripple like myself?"

The ninja blinked a couple of times in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"Let me rephrase that." Jiji spoke. "What I mean to say is: I wish to join your cause. Would you take me with you to your Order of Shadow?"

Before Kayn could properly process what had been asked of him, another took the opportunity to voice her opinion.

"Have you gone mad, Jihiro?!" Ohna exclaimed, looking both shocked and angry. "With that leg of yours, you are in no condition to join any sort of order whatsoever!"

Jiji grimaced at the accusation. "I've let that drag me down for far too long, wallowing in my misery. But Kayn here has shown me the truth: nothing should ever keep us from fighting for our goals, not even our bodies."

"But this is something different!" she almost shouted. "His arm may be corrupted by a demon, _but you are missing almost an entire leg!_ "

Then she swirled around, addressing Kayn. "Wouldn't a cripple like him be a liability to your order in his state? Your master wouldn't want a warrior with such a weakness, would he?" she argued, but Kayn realized that her increasing hostility towards Jiji was not out of malice. No, Ohna acted out of desperation, hoped perhaps that she could protect the one she cared about by driving Kayn to reject Jiji.

"His injury is not a weakness to us." He responded instead, dashing her hopes. "In fact, only letting such a thing hold you down would be weakness, which he clearly wishes to overcome. If he wants to fight, we will fashion him a better prosthetic" The ninja spoke up, before addressing Jiji directly, his tone growing harsher.

"However, while I appreciate your enthusiasm, the Order of Shadow is nothing like your old rural sword school. In fact, we aren't like most other groups you might know. We have a mission, which we fully devote ourselves to. We use any method, _however extreme_. We _kill_ those in our way _without hesitation_. We show _no mercy_ to our enemies. We follow the path of shadows and all it entails. Are you _truly_ prepared to live such a life?"

At the weight of Kayn's words, Jiji closed his eyes, as if he was mentally weighing his answer. Ohna took the chance to intervene one more time.

"Is that really the sort of life you strive for, Jihiro? Was what we had here not good enough for you?" She spoke, sounding rather dejected.

"Ohna, please do not misunderstand me." Jiji told her, gently gripping her shoulders so she would look into his eyes. "I appreciate everything you did for me, the time we had together, but I was always fighter at heart. I had forgotten it in my squalor, but Kayn reminded me of that truth."

The two warriors shared a look.

"I want to see my homeland freed in my lifetime, Ohna. I want to walk the plains of the land and the streets of our cities without the banners of Noxus lining the way. If we want to see that happen, we must drive Noxus from our land with all our might, and since our so-called resistance is not capable of doing so, then I shall offer my swords to his cause instead."

"There is no way of dissuading you from this, is there?" Ohna asked, resigned.

Jiji nodded. "I have made up my mind." Then, he looked to the ninja, expectantly.

Kayn crossed his arms. "In that case, I am willing to invite you into my Order. But be aware: what I am offering is not a promise, only a chance. If you accept, you will return with me to the monastery, where you will have to prove yourself worthy. I will be upfront: the trials for membership are cruel and unforgiving. If you fail, expect no mercy. Do you understand all this?"

A long, pregnant moment of silence passed. Then, with fists clenched and a determined look on his face, Jiji responded. "I do."

"And even then, you are still willing to take this risk?"

Another firm nod. "I am."

"Very well. Then we should prepare to leave." Kayn spoke, before beginning to gather his belongings. Then he paused, furrowing his brow in concern.

"That does remind me: I came here traveling by foot. Considering the length of the journey, that isn't an option for you. How do you intend to remedy that problem?"

Jiji scratched his chin, having come to the same conclusion. "Well, we do have the two horses. If Ohna allows it, we could use them to travel once we've breached the gates. They aren't particularly fast by any means, but they endure long journeys easily. We can hide them while we dispatch the guards, and then leave." He turned to the woman in question, who gave him a sad smile.

"You may. You need them far more than I do." She spoke.

"Excellent." Kayn announced. "Now, do whatever preparations you wish to make for the journey, but be quick about them. I will take watch outside." He opened for the door, only pausing for a moment when he saw Jiji approach his companion with a guilty expression.

"Ohna, I-." he began, only to see the woman in question sigh, lowering her shoulders.

"It's alright, Jihiro. You've chosen your path, and I will not stop you." She told him, and Kayn saw Jiji's expression drop. The man looked torn again, and she grabbed his hands, the two of them seeming to hold on to one another.

"Just promise me you will make it out alive, will you? If you get yourself killed after all I did to save you, then I swear I'll… I'll…"

Kayn decided it was the time for him to take his leave, closing the door behind him. All that mattered had been said and done, and what came next between the two was neither his concern nor his interest.

* * *

A dozen or more minutes of waiting in the cool night air later, Kayn heard the doors to the stables open behind him slowly, quiet clopping approaching him. Turning around, he saw Jiji lead the two horses that had once drawn his carriage, now saddled and loaded, while Ohna followed, lighting the way with a handheld lantern. In the light of the enclosed candle, he could see that the elder warrior had undergone a significant make-over.

Compared to earlier, Jiji looked significantly less disheveled. His hair was tied into a significantly neater topknot, and over a green shirt, he now wore an armless white robe with a simple pattern of snake scales woven onto it, which Kayn deduced was most likely fashioned in the image of his dojo's namesake. A brown sash fastened the two familiar swords to his hip, and a pair of armguards and greaves protected his limbs.

Kayn preferred black, but he had to admit, it did make the man look less like a slob and more like an actual swordfighter.

He uncrossed his arms as the two approached him.

"I've packed you two whatever light provisions I could find. I don't know how long it will last, but it should be enough to get you far away from Teko'an." Ohna spoke. Kayn nodded, before moving in to inspect one of the steeds. A sturdy breed, with satchels and bags attached on either side of its saddle, upon which rested a large bedroll. It let out a quiet whinny as he approached.

"A beauty, isn't she?" Jiji asked, stroking the horse's mane as he moved to stand beside Kayn. "These two would get us to Hirana Monastery and back without complaint, I tell you."

"Certainly. But are you certain they will behave while we attempt to escape?" Kayn questioned, somewhat doubting that the animals would comply with the stealth their ordeal required.

That elicited a slight chuckle from Jiji. "They will behave alright. Some of the most even-tempered animals I ever knew. They don't spook, but they do have a tendency to be vocal, so I took the precautions."

Indeed, the mares seemed hardly unnerved by the presence of the master of fear that was Kayn, even though he knew that the power of his shadow magic could hold adverse effects on lesser creatures. In a sense, it put a damper on his pride that a beast of burden would face him when many men could not, but such behavior would be beneficial once he needed to wield Rhaast.

"Are you ready to depart then? This is your last chance to step down after all."

Jiji expression betrayed no hesitation. "It's too late to back down anyway."

"Then let us proceed."

With a last solemn look, Jiji and Ohna separated, and the two warriors left the yard, the flickering lantern of the one left behind soon fading into the distance. The thrill of being on a mission filled Kayn once more as they proceeded down the darkened streets, and while a dull aching still plagued his chest, whatever medical sorcery that woman had performed on him left him feeling better by the minute.

Using his power over the darkness all around them, the ninja scouted ahead, checking every street and every house-front for any kind of spectator for the chance to encounter Noxian soldiers was understandably high. Jiji followed in his wake, leading the horses by their reins, and while he was significantly slower than the ninja due to his leg, it kept the noise they produced to a necessary minimum. Thankfully, the ninja had already made himself a fairly clear picture of where Noxians tended to appear during his earlier nights of reconnaissance, so they managed to arrive at their destination without any incidents.

"So, what's the plan?" Jiji inquired quietly as they came to a halt, hiding in the darkness of a nearby building. In front of them loomed the dark Noxian structure that barred their escape, two torches on either side of the arch illuminating the great wooden doors the two warriors were aiming to pass. A guard slouched beside each source of light, clearly tired, and on top of the parapet, another two pairs of soldiers slowly patrolled up and down.

"Stay here, and keep the horses under control." Kayn responded. "When the patrols are the furthest from us, I'll take down the two on the ground. The moment they die, you head for the gate. We'll throw it open, and ride out before another patrol comes. Understood?"

He received a nod of affirmation.

"Good. Get ready."

Many tense seconds passed as they observed the Noxians lumbering across the parapets, complaining in the filthy language that Kayn, despite wishing not to, still understood clearly. Then the moment came. Leaving his companion behind, Kayn dashed past the remaining buildings and over the open road, melding into the shadows of the city wall with the few slivers of magic he had left. Seeking to emulate his earlier stunt, he phased into the wall, approaching the soldiers from behind. Unlike last time however, there was far too much empty space between the two soldiers to cross in one leap. He'd have to be quick.

Scythe at the ready, Kayn broke from the masonry. With a powerful leap, he flew past his victim, simply allowing the blade following in his wake to separate head from neck. Dragging the corpse to the ground with him, he landed on his feet, readjusting his grip on his weapon for the decisive strike.

The other guard however wasn't as asleep as the assassin had estimated. Dodging the blow arcing for his neck, the Noxian slid into a battle-stance, his polearm already heading for Kayn's own throat. Using the handle of his scythe, Kayn deflected the strike, allowing himself a split-second gaze to see whether the lights of the patrols up on the wall had changed trajectory. They hadn't.

Refocusing on the battle, he found the Noxian going for another attack. With an expertly thrown slash, Kayn cut through the halberds handle, the soldier managing to drop the weapon just in time to avoid the demonic blade carving into his flesh.

" _ **Filthy cur!"**_ The man shouted in Ur-Nox, drawing a short sword before striking at his assailant. Kayn realized he'd have to finish this now, for the entire garrison would probably be upon him soon. Unfortunately for him, the exhaustion from earlier hadn't faded.

Going for another attempt at beheading the Noxian, Kayn found his blow deflected far too easily for his own liking. Then the soldier, seeing an opening, dropped low, before ramming his shoulder straight into the ninja's chest.

Hot, white pain erupted as the metal armor connected with the freshly healed wound on his torso, and Kayn could not stop himself from faltering, dropping Rhaast as he staggered backwards. The guard was visibly surprised at his own success, before he followed up his assault with another heavy fist to the chest, toppling the ninja over onto the ground.

Despite the pain, he managed to respond just in time to dodge a fatal stab by the Noxian. However, with Rhaast now out of his reach, the assassin was left unarmed as an armored knee crashed onto his torso. Kayn growled in rage as he grasped the arm stabbing for his heart, struggling to keep the Noxian at bay.

" _Kayn!_ " a voice rang out, and both men turned to see Jiji in the distance, one of his swords hurling towards the Noxian. Then, with a pitiful ' _plonk_ ,' it bounced harmlessly off the soldier's armor.

"Was that all? Pathetic!" the man taunted, but Kayn had already picked up on the plan. Using the singular moment of distraction, he wrestled himself free just enough to reach out his hand and grab the sword, plunging it into the Noxians neck with one swift strike.

A slow, wet gurgle, before the man keeled over dead. Kayn pushed the fresh corpse off himself, jumping to his feet despite the lingering pain. Retrieving his scythe, he returned the sword to its owner.

"Good thinking. Now get the horses, we need to hurry."

Indeed, the sounds of Noxian soldiers approaching grew louder by the second. Wasting no time, Kayn severed the large beam holding the wooden gates shut with a single strike of his scythe. Then he pulled the wings of the gate open, just in time for Jiji to approach, already astride his steed.

"Get on, now!" the other man hurried him.

"Don't need to tell me twice!"

The Noxian patrols rounded the corner that moment, but the two men were already on their way, far out of their reach.


End file.
